A WARMINSTER grandfather’s year-long wait is over after his plea to have play equipment built near his home for his grandchildren was successful.

David Harse was left unhappy that his granddaughters, nine-year-old Caoimhe, and Mia, two, had nowhere to play earlier this year as building work had begun around his home on Epping Close, Warminster, where the children used to go.

The 60-year-old claimed that developers Selwood Housing and Wiltshire Council promised to upgrade the recreational ground on Portway Lane before the building of eight homes around Epping Close began.

“It’s taken them a year almost and it should have been done before they started building the houses,” said Mr Harse, who works part-time at Centre Parcs.

“My oldest granddaughter went down there last Sunday and when I drove by I saw a couple of kids there as well.

“It’s a good thing, anything for the kids to play on is a good thing.

“It’s only about 200 yards away from us so we will be going down as often as we can.

“I’m quite happy they built it.”

A total of £9,740.13 was used to build the new equipment – including a spring horse and cone climber – which was given to Wiltshire Council by Selwood Housing, after an application for three terraced houses and three bungalows behind Mr Harse’s home was accepted on appeal.

Cllr Pip Ridout said: “When Selwood Housing were given permission to build six dwellings on the recreation land between Epping and Savernake Close they were required to provide money to upgrade the facilities in the play park opposite.

“Last week two items were installed, the cone climber and a springy horse for the smaller children.

“These items were selected after consultation with residents who are pleased to see the improvements fulfilled.

“There is also money left matched by the Local Youth Network to replace the goal posts and nets at the further end of the field and to replace the basketball net – this work will be done in the next few weeks.”