A multi-use play and exercise area will be created in a housing estate to improve residents’ physical and mental health.

Councillors have pledged more than £15,000 for new facilities at a community centre on the Stonegrove Estate in Edgware.

The money will be used to provide a new play surface, a basketball hoop and outdoor gym equipment.

Gus Alston, chief executive of Stonegrove Community Trust, told the Hendon area committee meeting last Wednesday (June 26) the improvements would have “a huge impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of the local population.”

An area around the OneStonegrove community centre has been used as a play area since regeneration work on the estate finished in 2018.

But the area’s occasional use as an overflow car park has damaged the surface, meaning it has become slippery and unsuitable for use as a playground.

Conservative councillor for Edgware Cllr Brian Gordon said: “This is going to benefit thousands of people.

“Already, thousands of people benefit from what happens at Stonegrove, and this will improve the situation immensely.”

Labour councillor for Colindale Cllr Nagus Narenthira asked how much money had been provided by developer Barratt Homes as part of an agreement with the council tied into the regeneration – and whether any of that had been set aside for a play area.

Mr Alston said £150,000 was provided by Barratt under the section 106 agreement, but half of that was spent outside the development at nearby Edgwarebury Park.

The remaining money was spent on landscaping and outdoor areas, but no dedicated play space was created.

Cllr Narenthira said: “For the future, when we have these proposals on big developments and regeneration, we need to make sure some of the section 106 money is spent in that development.

“When I hear about that it makes my blood boil – the money is spent elsewhere, and we have to beg for money from somewhere else.”

The committee agreed to put £15,120 towards the play area and could provide more money at a future meeting.

The funding will come from the community infrastructure levy – a charge the council imposes on developers to help with improvements in nearby areas.