A PLAY area in Eston may be redeveloped after local people decided against a new play area being constructed.

When land at Parkgate, in Eston, was sold to make way for a housing development, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council also decided to sell the public space next to the site.

But when the anonymous highest bidder for the site said it would provide an equipped play area at a cost of £30,000 plus funding for maintenance, a public consultation exercise was launched.

Local people had been angry about the sale of the land and were offered a series of solutions for the play area.

These were the development of a small junior play area at the junction of Sunnygate and Huntersgate, develop a small junior play area at the back of Hill View Nursing Home, or use the money to develop an existing play area in Eston, but away from the development site.

Although just 17 residents attended the deciding meeting, a phone poll was also conducted which showed overwhelming support for the third option, because they felt the development of a new play area would give rise to anti-social behaviour.

The upgrading of the play area will now go forward through the developer and Eston Community Forum.