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Original poster

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:
Thread gallery
21
AllThingsServeTheBeam · 10/02/2022 23:45

@elbea

All this speculation about play areas is so pointless. Every single play area in this country by law has to have a sign that details who it is owned by, contact details and importantly… who the park is for.
But but but @HadaVerde wants to be right!?
mollypuss1 · 11/02/2022 00:23

@HadaVerde

Poisonivy29.

Ok that’s how it works where you are.

Things are done differently In other places.

Im not incorrect, I have just explained how things work in certain circumstances which are different to yours.

I have posted a London local authority housing policy document that backs up what I have said fgs.

Have you posted a London local authority housing policy document yet? You should have mentioned this before ……

What you posted and constantly refer back to as your trump card backs up nothing of what you said as other posters have explained to you many times. You persist in ignoring these posts as they clearly show you are wrong in your interpretation.

How long til this insanity hits the Daily Mail?

CocoCookieCream · 11/02/2022 00:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SheilaWilcox · 11/02/2022 02:05

lol - this thread is bonkers.

A park and a park are called the same thing but not the same thing.
Public and communal are not the same thing.
Council estate and council housing are not the same thing.
Leaseholders, tenants and renters are not the same thing.

Ah, the joys of the English language.

Have we mentioned that there are council estates with no council housing on yet?

And can someone just clarify, if I buy a packet of crisps from the Co-Op on the local estate, where am I allowed to put the packet when I'm finished?

Legoisthebest · 11/02/2022 02:54

Sheila if you buy a bag of crisps from the co op on a council estate that you don't live on you will have to pay the "are you local" tax. This funds an extra bin in the park. Your bag of crisps will have a sticker placed on it so the gossipy residents of the estate will know you have paid the tax. However if your packet doesn't have a sticker on and you also place that old tissue from your pocket in the bin then you will be escorted off the estate. Despite your pointing out that you have to enter the forbidden council estate to go to the co op because that's where the only post office in the area is Grin

Robstersgirl · 11/02/2022 03:48

This is the most snowflake thread I’ve ever read Hmm

timestheyarechanging · 11/02/2022 04:05

Of course you can - it's a public space for the community to enjoy but bless you for asking. Hope you and your daughter have lots of fun there. You'll probably make friends there too.

PreparationPreparationPrep · 11/02/2022 06:58

[quote worriedatthemoment]@Ellen2shoes disgusting that any of these have been allowed and developers should be ashamed
Its only a small number though but then reading this many think it also applies to their council estate park which I would be very surprised at otherwise the articles referring to the private places wouldn't seem so shocking [/quote]
This applies to mixed tenure schemes. And the leaseholders would still be paying a service charge similar to the tenants, because they are tenants or
Leaseholders of the same landlord. Some leaseholders thought tenants were beneath them and the nicer garden - entrance way etc was for leaseholders- luckily this is not common practice anymore with social
Housing providers keen to make profits in homeownership pandered to this idea. But Homeowners 1/2 3 streets away or round the corner are not tenants or leaseholders of that landlord so are not paying for these amenities in their service charges to a landlord who maintains the estate park!!! But leaseholders and the tenants are paying for the local public park through their council tax. I can't see why it's so difficult to see the difference. It is a fact that if there are communal areas tenants pay service for Maintenance - who do you think is paying for the the caretakers cleaners and repairs - (and yes the park has to be maintained for health and safety - (not your council tax from the LA) so I will reiterate nobody is saying that non residents or non service charge payers shouldn't use them but it is insulting to not acknowledge that this is being paid for by the residents some on low income and disingenuous to think that the local council tax would pay for this. If this was the case homeowners would be in uproar about paying for something their families don't use. But it is not an issue because so far as everyone uses the facilities with respect nobody really cares.

SHONNYSMUMMY · 11/02/2022 07:13

@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.

😂 😂 This has to be a joke @HadaVerde anyone can use any play area that's public property unless its on private land, all council playgrounds are for everyone they are only built as a peasantry for those in the direct community not for exclusivity.. My goodness!
SHONNYSMUMMY · 11/02/2022 07:14

pleasantry... Silly auto correct

BarbaraofSeville · 11/02/2022 07:25

@Hmm1234

Yes use it on the nice newbuild estates as well they always have lovely play areas Wink
Yes, I've seen a few of these on dog walking routes and do you know what, if I have poo bags to bin, I put them in the bins that are usually there, even though I don't live on those developments.

Perhaps I should be paying a special non local tax for that too?

londonrach · 11/02/2022 07:28

Of course you can. We lists of playgrounds locally on the internet so you go and try and them out. Very strange to think you can't use it

itsgettingweird · 11/02/2022 07:30

Adding to the "of course it's ok".

I live in what was a new build estate. Been here 15 years now. We have a play park (although it's not the best!).

It's part of the agreement for contractors that they add public spaces when they build in a lot of places. And it's just that - public space.

It never dawned on me our park was for our street.

hellcatspangle · 11/02/2022 07:31

And can someone just clarify, if I buy a packet of crisps from the Co-Op on the local estate, where am I allowed to put the packet when I'm finished?

Well in this bonkers world, you can't buy the crisps from that co op can you as you're not allowed in? It's a local shop for local people.

itsgettingweird · 11/02/2022 07:32

@HadaVerde

A playground within the grounds of a council estate is for residents use.

A playground in a park or on a recreational field or similar is obviously for general public use.

Would you use the bins on a council estate too?

I'm assuming this isn't a gated complex?

Council estates are very outdated. They no longer build whole estates with just social housing on.

These "council estates" are purely known as that through history and habit rather than that being what they actually are.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 11/02/2022 08:19

@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.

That's barking...

Of course it is OK!

It doesn't belong solely to people on the estate... Any more than the post boxes or téléphone boxes are there for their exclusive use ..

Are you oneGrin of those people who insist on their 'right' to park immediately outside their house when it's a public highway?!

Idontlikecheesecake · 11/02/2022 09:03

@HadaVerde
‘Ok that’s how it works where you are.

Things are done differently In other places.

Im not incorrect, I have just explained how things work in certain circumstances which are different to yours.

I have posted a London local authority housing policy document that backs up what I have said fgs’

So you say you’re just talking about where you live, but you said it’s not ok to use playgrounds as if it’s a blanket rule. It’s just not ok where YOU live

HadaVerde · 11/02/2022 10:57

[quote Idontlikecheesecake]@HadaVerde
‘Ok that’s how it works where you are.

Things are done differently In other places.

Im not incorrect, I have just explained how things work in certain circumstances which are different to yours.

I have posted a London local authority housing policy document that backs up what I have said fgs’

So you say you’re just talking about where you live, but you said it’s not ok to use playgrounds as if it’s a blanket rule. It’s just not ok where YOU live[/quote]
No that isn’t what I said. I haven’t said I’m talking about where I live. Where does it say that In the post you have quoted?

Different areas/types of housing have different set ups and different ways of doing things. I don’t understand why that concept is so hard to grasp.

Wheelz46 · 11/02/2022 12:03

@HadaVerde seems to be you who is not understanding what posters are saying. Basically if there is no official sign stating residents only then one would assume its open to all the public and not just local residents in the surrounding area!

Runningupthecurtains · 11/02/2022 12:05

Different areas/types of housing have different set ups and different ways of doing things. I don’t understand why that concept is so hard to grasp.
@HadaVerde why are you so certain that the OP isn't talking about somewhere that she is entitled to use? For pages and pages when people told you things where different to what you had said you claimed they hadn't proved anything. You have eventually conceded that things might be different in different places but you still haven't shifted from you statement that the OP's child shouldn't use the play equipment that she was posting about but you can't possibly know that because the OP doesn't give her location.
When I lived in (former) council flat there were a dozen or so blocks set around a large green space that space was public. Each block had a smaller green space around it demarcated by a lowish fence or hedge this was a private, communal space for the residents of each individual block only. If there had been play equipment within this boundary fence it would have been residents of that block only but there wasn't, the play equipment was on the large central green space and was for the use by any child - they could be from one of the blocks, they could be from the next street (council terraced houses), they could be from the private housing a few streets away or from the opposite side of the city. They could even be on holiday from New Zealand, they were still perfect entitled to slide down the slide.

Tottie · 11/02/2022 13:05

I know I’m a lone voice here but communal areas including playgrounds within social housing estates are for residents use and the general public ie non residents can be excluded.
They really aren’t for general public use.

Due to the lack of punctuation, you've literally stated that the general public "can" use the playgrounds!
....."playgrounds within social housing estates are for residents use and the general public" Confused

justasking111 · 11/02/2022 13:08

@Tottie

*I know I’m a lone voice here but communal areas including playgrounds within social housing estates are for residents use and the general public ie non residents can be excluded. They really aren’t for general public use.*

Due to the lack of punctuation, you've literally stated that the general public "can" use the playgrounds!
....."playgrounds within social housing estates are for residents use and the general public" Confused

The developer may give over the land but the council are from then on responsible for the equipment. Same as the developer puts in the road which the council then adopt and care for
HadaVerde · 11/02/2022 13:15

HadaVerde why are you so certain that the OP isn't talking about somewhere that she is entitled to use? For pages and pages when people told you things where different to what you had said you claimed they hadn't proved anything. You have eventually conceded that things might be different in different places but you still haven't shifted from you statement that the OP's child shouldn't use the play equipment that she was posting about but you can't possibly know that because the OP doesn't give her location

I have never said that everywhere would be the same as what I am describing.

People talking about their different experiences were trying to state that what they were describing meant what I was saying was incorrect. It wasn’t.

I have never said that all types of social housing are the same.

I am making assumptions about what the op describes based on what she said and my experience of places like she described. Pretty much the same as everyone else posting really.