We, the residents of Noel Park, call on Haringey Council Leader Peray Ahmet and Programme Director for Wellbeing, Parks and Climate, Zoe Robertson to urgently save the Russell Park playhouse and ensure the new playground is completed as planned.

The Russell Park playground is the result of years of tireless work and significant financial investment by Noel Park Big Local, a group that raised over £450,000 to transform a neglected, unsafe play area into a state-of-the-art space for children. The playhouse itself, funded with over a third of those community-raised funds, is a bespoke design featuring ramps, a slide and sensory play equipment. It was specifically designed with inclusivity in mind, catering to all children, especially girls who are often overlooked in traditional playground designs.

The playhouse platform stands at just one metre tall – the height needed for a toddler slide. However, just days from completion, the council has halted work due to privacy complaints from a couple of residents. Instead of addressing these concerns with simple, cost-effective solutions such as planting hedges or adding privacy fencing, the council is considering dismantling the structure entirely – at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds to taxpayers.

This decision threatens to waste public funds, delay the project, and undermine years of community effort. It also risks depriving hundreds of children in the area, many of whom live in cramped housing without gardens, of a vital space for play and development. This project is not just about a playground; it’s about creating opportunities for children in an area of high deprivation, encouraging active lifestyles, and fostering a sense of community.

The previous playground, left in disrepair by years of shrinking local authority budgets, consisted of little more than a plastic slide and a swing set, alongside broken and hazardous equipment. Noel Park Big Local stepped in to ensure children in the area had a better space, engaging in years of consultation with the community to design a playground that would meet the needs of local families. This process was thorough, transparent and approved by the council at every stage.

We urge the council to:

• Respect the extensive consultation and community vision behind this project.
  
• Address privacy concerns with reasonable measures such as privacy-friendly landscaping or higher fencing.
• Complete the playground as planned, without further delays or costly alterations.

The loss of the playhouse would be devastating to the local community and reduce the long-term benefits this playground was designed to deliver. A compromised playground would not only fail to serve the needs of local families, but also waste an opportunity to make Russell Park a safer space for everyone.

We ask you to sign this petition to protect the integrity of this project and ensure it moves forward, unaltered, for the benefit of today’s children and future generations.