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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Can I use the playground of a council estate if we don't live there?

803 replies

Mummy1608 · 09/02/2022 14:04

Quick question...

I live right outside a really big council estate. (Eg I walk through it everyday as a shortcut to my local train station, that's how close I am and how big it is.) It's got a lovely playground in it with lots of cool climbing bits etc. Can I go there with my DD or do you think it's frowned on if I don't live there, because it's meant to be for residents? I can't find anywhere whether this isn't allowed, but it might be technically allowed but still frowned on? My next nearest playground is much smaller (although always empty) and a 15 min walk away.

Tldr can I take my dd to the council estate playground?

OP posts:
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21
Marmm · 09/02/2022 14:25

Because they are on the grounds of a council housing estate and are for residents use. So you think the children of the council estate should be segregated from children not of the council estate?

HadaVerde · 09/02/2022 14:25

‘Bins belong to individual householders.

Apart from the large communal ones on housing estates.

Which incidentally people would drive into and fill up with their crap too.

Comefromaway · 09/02/2022 14:26

They are not for general public usage.

I think you will find that they are unless they are playgrounds allocated to a specific number of houses in lieu of a garden and included in the rent. In that case it will be marked as such (private property)

RedToothBrush · 09/02/2022 14:26

Its a council estate

Its not a gated private estate with guards and barbed wire and security cameras.

Go use it. After all you part pay for it anyway.

Onlyforcake · 09/02/2022 14:26

Look. If you really believe that these "council" estates (you know it's going to be far more complicated than that I hope!) Are not for use. Phone up your local council ask. I'm utterly sure when they've stopped giggling they'll tell you it's totally ok for your child to use the park. .... Even if the park isn't in your own county! My children use the park near my aunt's house (more than 150 miles away) about three times a year.

Marmm · 09/02/2022 14:26

That’s not how any of this works. Of course you don’t use the bins, because then the residents would have nowhere to put their rubbish. But you don’t “use up” the playground - it’s not a finite resource - and not every neighbourhood has one. I would use a public bin on council owned property. Or am I meant to check my rubbish on the floor?

Marmm · 09/02/2022 14:27

@Comefromaway

They are not for general public usage.

I think you will find that they are unless they are playgrounds allocated to a specific number of houses in lieu of a garden and included in the rent. In that case it will be marked as such (private property)

Exactly.
Pumpfive · 09/02/2022 14:27

@HadaVerde I think you're getting mixed up! I live in a flat with no garden and there's a communal garden that people can use (literally a small patch of green grass)
That is different to a park!

Comefromaway · 09/02/2022 14:27

If the bin is a bin allocated to a specific property eg a block of flats then it should not be used. If its a public bin that just happens to be sited in a council estate, then yes, its free for anyone to use.

AryaStarkWolf · 09/02/2022 14:28

@HadaVerde

Visiting friends who live there? Yes fine.

Using it cos it’s closer than another for public use playground? No of course it’s not ok.

I’m amazed people think this is ok.

wtf? It's a public playground of course anyone can use it :/
HadaVerde · 09/02/2022 14:28

So you think the children of the council estate should be segregated from children not of the council estate?

Don’t be silly.

Thesearmsofmine · 09/02/2022 14:28

Because they are on the grounds of a council housing estate and are for residents use.

I would love to see some evidence of this please.

BobbinHood · 09/02/2022 14:29

@Marmm

That’s not how any of this works. Of course you don’t use the bins, because then the residents would have nowhere to put their rubbish. But you don’t “use up” the playground - it’s not a finite resource - and not every neighbourhood has one. I would use a public bin on council owned property. Or am I meant to check my rubbish on the floor?
Of course you can use a public rubbish bin, but that’s not what the point was about.

I hope you wouldn’t use someone’s wheelie bin or a communal bin for use of the people living in the flats.

(You could of course also take your rubbish home as that’s what reasonable people do as a last resort before littering.)

Blossomtoes · 09/02/2022 14:29

@HadaVerde

Visiting friends who live there? Yes fine.

Using it cos it’s closer than another for public use playground? No of course it’s not ok.

I’m amazed people think this is ok.

Why?
Marmm · 09/02/2022 14:29

@HadaVerde

So you think the children of the council estate should be segregated from children not of the council estate?

Don’t be silly.

That's what you're saying though. Only the council estate residents can use that playground and the other kids have to use another one. Tough if you want to go there and play with a friend who lives there.
lunar1 · 09/02/2022 14:30

Where in the country still has council estates? Where ever I've lived, what used to be council estates are now a mix of council, privately owned and privately rented houses.

HadaVerde · 09/02/2022 14:31

@HadaVerde I think you're getting mixed up! I live in a flat with no garden and there's a communal garden that people can use (literally a small patch of green grass)
That is different to a park!

I’m not talking about parks neither was the OP.

A playground within a housing estate isn’t a park. Obviously a park is for everyone.

RedToothBrush · 09/02/2022 14:31

I used to live opposite a park on a private estate (roads were unadopted by the council and the residents - not outsiders pay for the maintenance).

It was STILL open to the public and not just for residents only.

Comefromaway · 09/02/2022 14:31

That's true. Where I live there was a massive council estate but since right to buy the only way you can distinguish between council owned and privately owned is the identikit decoration

TheYearOfSmallThings · 09/02/2022 14:31

I grew up on a council estate. I have lived on one in my adult life. A large one with blocks of flats (no gardens) and a play area. They are not for general public usage.

Have you seen this written on a sign somewhere, or is it just a belief you have formed?

Comefromaway · 09/02/2022 14:32

A playground is for everyone too. Round here we call them parks even if they are not actually in a park.

Pumpfive · 09/02/2022 14:32

[quote HadaVerde]@HadaVerde I think you're getting mixed up! I live in a flat with no garden and there's a communal garden that people can use (literally a small patch of green grass)
That is different to a park!

I’m not talking about parks neither was the OP.

A playground within a housing estate isn’t a park. Obviously a park is for everyone.[/quote]
Of course she's talking about a park (which is what I call a place with slides/ swings etc...)

HadaVerde · 09/02/2022 14:32

@Marmm

Read my posts again.

BigFatLiar · 09/02/2022 14:32

@Comefromaway

There was a playground near my children's primary school. The only council houses there were retirement bungalows. I'm sure those residents are not going to be going on the monkey bars and down the slide.
OH & me would be on there in a heartbeat if we had that nearby!
suzyscat · 09/02/2022 14:33

Usually residents only areas are gated with combination lock or residents are provided with a key.