To put letter up in park

[Hadenough32]

We live on a new build estate. Privately.ownder by housing developers so not an issue for the local council.
Basically due to damage all the play equipment was removed from the park opposite my house. Fences still up but it's empty just grass. Great place for people to take their dogs.
Problem is it's been 2 years now and it's constantly in use. People just sitting there whilst their dogs go mental barking. It's in use constantly. Last summer a regular group of 8+ dogs in there every evening from 6 to 7. Some people start walking their dogs from 5am when it got hot last year so was woken early too. Last night me and kids woken at 11pm by 2 people and their dogs playing in there. They also flash really bright lights from their phones.
The barking wakes my kids up and makes getting them back to sleep hard. (4 kids with 2 under 2 so they're difficult anyway) I have to shut the windows even in summer. It's also the adults having really loud screeching conversations with eacother over their dogs barking. I've got 2 dogs so I know it's hard but I really didn't sign up to live opposite a dog park.
Our neighbours feel the same and they actually cheekily removed the park gate thinking this would deter people but they replaced it with a wooden pallet they leave in there.

I'm thinking about writing a laminated note and sticking it up in the park asking them to keep the noise down.
Is there anything else I can do?

Can you ask the developer to remove the fences?

Ask the developers/whoever to remove the fences.

Contact your estate management company about it. You pay them in addition to your council tax so make them earn their money.

You bought a house opposite a park, you can't really then complain that people are using it.

Contact the developer / management company

There are probably conditions with the planning consent about the maintenance of the park and play equipment - find what they are and ask that The Council enforces them

To be fair it wasn't that bad when kids used it and that was before I even had kids. Its since it's an unofficial dog park.

I know our neighbours did ask this last year. They were told everyone would have to share the cost of removal and I don't think people would be impressed. It's shame as it's genuinely used loads and it's great for puppy training for those without a garden.

Ok thankyou, any idea where to start looking for this info?

Try speaking with the developer and / or your local council.

A letter in the park will be a complete waste of your time

Take it down yourselves? Battery saw, saw off the fence posts at ground level, done.

It's proper metal park fencing and there's loads of it. My neighbour only managed the gate because he was able lift it off a hinge apparently

You could check the original planning application for the estate and see if there was a requirement to create a children's play area as part of the conditions. If there was, then contact the local council and ask them to enforce the requirement forcing the management company to reinstate play equipment.

YANBU but I can’t see people taking notice of it tbh.

I’d write a polite notice and put one on the local FB page asking that people try and keep the noise down before and after certain times due to children sleeping.

I would be tempted to say how the council has been in contact and they’re potentially going to remove it due to noise complaints and obviously no one wants that to happen etc.
If they think they may lose it, they may be more likely to actually follow the rules.

The local planning department

There may be a copy of the consent if you look on the council website

If you have a two tier system it's the district you need the people who send you the council tax bill

Either that or talk to you councillor

But if it was a play park for young children, they wouldn't be using it at 11pm

Has your road been adopted by the council or do you pay a charge to a managing agent?
Council can’t help if the road hasn’t been adopted yet

I would do this. Email your local councillor. They can help with stuff like this

I don’t think people will take much notice out thcebjj ok f a cc laminated note.

You need to speak to the park owners. Maybe get a lockable gate on it so it’s not open to the public?

it a private park for the residents only or a public park?

Call your local planning department and ask to speak to a planning officer and explain the situation.

Do estate residents have to pay for upkeep of the park? Or other estate management fees? There may well be an obligation on the developer to maintain the play park - but they may be able to pass on costs to residents.

Clearly a play park would be more suitable for the location - and maybe needed by local children?

If it is a private estate the householders are the park owners.

Could you turn it into a positive a put a coded gate on and then have the management company charge for access. People do pay to use fenced fields with their dogs.

Honestly at the very least I'd be using the pallet gate as firewood!

Put a note up in the park & say that you don't mind dog walkers using the space but request that they consider the surrounding neighbours & keep the noise down late at night. Remove the wooden pallet that they've replaced the gate with & keep removing anything they use in future, it may deter them from using the park if their dogs can get out.

Tbh the kind of people who need a note to ask them to be considerate of others are the type of people who won't give a flying fuck about a note asking them to be considerate of others so it would be a waste of your time.