Council provide update on Flackwell Heath park opening following fire

The recreation park on Straight Bit was hit by a suspected arson attack late at night on August 2 leaving the park taped off as police began investigating.

There have been no updates from Thames Valley Police on the investigation as the park remains closed until it is repaired.

The destroyed playground equipment has been removed

A sign at the park from Chepping Wycombe Parish Council reads: “Unfortunately, before we can reopen the park, we need to put a seal over the damaged area and make the climbing frame safe.

“This will not be instant as the cold pour cannot be laid in the kind of high temperatures we are experiencing at the moment.

“We understand that it’s highly frustrating that the park remains closed and are doing all we can to make the equipment available to our youngest residents again as soon as possible.

“We will provide an update as soon as we have a date for the repairs.”

The fire at the park on August 2

Earlier this year, a similar investigation was launched on April 2 in which the same playground equipment was damaged by a smaller fire.

A police spokesperson said this previous arson attack was not being linked to the most recent blaze at the playground.

There have been calls to fence off the recreation park at night or install CCTV cameras with the parish council already hiring a security team back in October 2021.

There has also been a string of incidents in the Straight Bit recreation ground in recent years where racist graffiti was found on a piece of fitness equipment close to the bowls club.

The playground was also previously vandalised multiple times with new surfacing near the roundabout dug out, two swings being stolen along with the ground surfacing underneath and the wooden frame badly damaged.

The damaged ship

A public meeting was held in June over concerns about the "on-going" anti-social behavior in the village.

The meeting was addressed by Buckinghamshire councillor David Johncock and PC Jed Russell.

Following the meeting, a Chepping Wycombe parish council social media post said: "Great concern was also expressed by residents about the lack of CCTV particularly in the Straight Bit Recreation Ground and there were suggestions to install floodlights and other measures to deter children from congregating there late into the evening.

"These are now being addressed by the Buckinghamshire Council community safety team and the parish council with the assistance of the police."