Ealing Council has approved a half-million pound shopping list to be spent on facilities for young people.

Thousands of 11-16 year olds were asked how £1million should be spent to help provide better leisure facilities for them across the borough. Last week the Council approved a shortlist of projects which will benefit from the first half of the cash.

There are projects planned for every area across the borough for Southall, Greenford, Ealing, Acton,Perivale and Northolt.

From the total of £542,000 allocated, £112,000 will be spent on schemes in Southall, as follows:

£12,000 has been allocated for new floodlights for the football pitch at Young Adult Centre.

£50,000 has been allocated for a new Multi-Use Games Areas (MUGA) and urban cricket nets at Spikes Bridge Park.

£20,000 has been allocated for a new half court Multi-Use Games Areas (MUGA) at Jubilee Park.

£30,000 has been allocated for a new floodlights and resurfacing for the Multi-Use Games Areas (MUGA) at Windmill Park.

The spending is in response to a residents’ survey carried out by the Council in which an increasing numbers of people said that there was a lack of facilities on offer for young people.

Over 6 thousand young people responded to a survey asking for their views on youth facilities. 12 focus groups were set up across the borough to look at the ideas in more detail.

Some of the approved projects could get started as early as next month and most work of the will be completed by March next year.

For the larger projects further consultation will be carried out with local residents and for others the Council will have to apply for planning permission before work can start.

Councillor Ian Gibb, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “It’s high time there were some new facilities for young people in the borough. I’m delighted that so many young people have taken the time to respond to the consultation. I’m sure that the facilities will be really well used because they’re exactly what teenagers have asked for.”

The remainder of the £1million will be allocated after further research has been carried out on a number of other possible projects.

The allocated spending in the other towns is as follows:

Greenford
Ravenor Park – brand new Astroturf football pitches with floodlights - £42,000 West Ealing/Hanwell
Drayton Green – resurfacing and new fencing and floodlights for the MUGA - £40,000
Gurnell Grove – improvement to fencing and floodlights at the MUGA - £25,000

Ealing
Blondin Park – brand new outdoor gym and youth play equipment - £25,000
Deane Gardens – refurbishment of the floodlit basketball courts - £12,000

Acton
North Acton Playing Fields – brand new Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) - £70,000
Leamington Park Estate – refurbished youth play equipment - £20,000
Wesley Playing Fields – refurbishment of the MUGA - £20,000

Perivale
Perivale Park – a brand new floodlit MUGA - £82,000

Northolt
Radcliffe Way – new floodlights for the existing MUGA - £12,000
Wayfarer Estate – brand new MUGA - £82,000