Residents in Poole, Dorset, will see significant improvements to local parks and play spaces following a funding increase to £4.4 million for a region-wide upgrade project. The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council announced the budget boost for the first part of its play plan, which was previously set at £3.9 million. According to a newsletter released on February 9, 2026, this investment will help update more than 120 play spaces over the next 14 months.
A major part of the work includes the total replacement of the aging Baiter Skatepark. The specialist design firm Maverick Skateparks has been hired to build the new facility using handcrafted, durable concrete to replace the old metal ramps. The project has an estimated cost of £400,000 and has now moved into the active design stage.
The council based the new skatepark design on feedback from local residents during a public consultation that ended in November 2025. Council leader Cllr Millie Earl has described the project as a key part of the region’s current year of opportunity. Major improvements across the area are expected to be finished by the middle of 2027.
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