Greenway Adventure Playground

Wester Hailes Growing Communities has secured funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to develop an adventure playground on the Greenway between Murrayburn and Hailesland (see photo gallery for location).

This funding represents a major milestone in a project that began in 2019. While it is exciting to reach this stage, the work involved in developing and delivering the playground has been more complex than we first anticipated.

We now have planning permission to build the playground and are assembling our team.

Project Update

Since confirming funding, we have made significant progress in developing how the playground will operate and be managed.

One of the biggest learning curves has been navigating the planning and delivery process for a project of this scale. Initially, we explored self-build approaches and worked with organisations specialising in community-built adventure playgrounds. While this remained an important ambition, further investigation highlighted the complexity involved, particularly around liability, safety, construction standards and long-term management responsibilities.

We have spent considerable time working with Edinburgh Council officers to develop an approach that:

• maximises play value
• allows freedom and creativity in play
• keeps costs and responsibilities manageable

We now believe we have arrived at a solution that combines the best of both worlds:

• Playable landscape (approximately two-thirds of the site):
  Managed by the City of Edinburgh Council, this area will include large play features such as swings, trees, bushes, mounds, logs, and boulders.
• Free play area (approximately one-third of the site):
  Managed by Wester Hailes Growing Communities, this space will allow more flexible outdoor play activities and structures that would not normally be possible within a council-managed playground. The free play area will be defined by a low fence.

To support the design, we appointed play designer Tassy Thompson, an experienced specialist in outdoor play and innovative playground design. Tassy has been working alongside our sessional development worker Ellie and local residents to engage children and parents in shaping the design.

Community engagement has played an important role throughout the process, helping ensure the playground reflects the needs and ideas of local families. Thank you to everyone who has shared their ideas and thoughts about playing in the Greenway.

We have also secured an extension to the delivery timetable, allowing construction to continue until September 2026.

We have secured planning permission (June 2026) and are preparing to begin work on site as soon as possible, with the aim of completing the Adventure Playground within the year.

Project Timeline

1970s/1980s

A series of wooden structures sprouted up across Wester Hailes. Adventure Playgrounds, affectionately called the Venchies were built by the local community after concern that there was nowhere for children to play in the immediate area. Despite appearances, children were supervised by a team of playworkers who also arranged other activities. The Venchies were in many ways ahead of their time, as there is now great interest in play areas that provide unstructured play with a degree of challenge. Sadly the Venchies were short lived, becoming unsafe due to a lack of resources to maintain and supervise them, and they were all demolished by 1990.

2020
Wester Hailes Growing Communities commissioned City of Play to work with local residents on a masterplan for improving the Greenway between Murrayburn and Hailesland. The need for more local play opportunities was identified, including the idea of an adventure playground.

2020–2023
Different approaches to delivering the playground were explored, including community self-build models and concept designs developed with several specialist organisations including Adventure Play Engineers and Timberplay Scotland.

2024
Funding was secured through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to take the project forward.

2024–2025
Work focused on:

• developing the design
• negotiating responsibilities with the council
• exploring liability and management arrangements
• appointing specialist play designer Tassy Thompson
• engaging local children, parents and residents in shaping the playground

A planning application (26/00942/FUL) was submitted following positive pre-application discussions with the council in March 2026.

June 2026 (expected)
Planning Permission Granted.

Summer–Autumn 2026
Construction will begin as soon as possible, with the aim of completing the Adventure Playground during 2026.

Next Steps & Ways to get involved

1. Email us to join the sub-group to support us to make good decisions about the design, construction, management and use of the Adventure Playground.

Key Project Documents

2020 – City of Play – Greenway Park Study

2026 – Planning Application Design Statement

2026 – Planning Application Site Plan