Work on the Abshot Road play area starts on 15 October, King George V in Locks Heath follows on 21 October and Stubbington in December. What each one gets.

Three of Fareham’s older play areas are being rebuilt with new, more inclusive equipment, and the first job starts today. Work on the Abshot Road play area in Titchfield Common begins on Thursday 15 October and should take about five weeks.

Fareham Borough Council announced the programme in a press release on 14 October. The other two follow:

Play area Work starts Expected to take
Abshot Road, Titchfield Common 15 October 2026 about five weeks
King George V Recreation Ground, Locks Heath 21 October 2026 about four weeks
Stubbington Recreation Ground 14 December 2026 about one week

The council says all three timings depend on the weather, ground conditions and “unforeseen circumstances”. The release does not say whether each play area closes while the work is done, or what the three schemes cost.

When work happens at the three play areas Timeline from October to December 2026. Abshot Road play area: work from 15 October for about five weeks. King George V Recreation Ground: from 21 October for about four weeks. Stubbington Recreation Ground: from 14 December for about one week. When work happens at the three play areas Expected start dates and lengths, autumn 2026 15 Oct 1 Nov 1 Dec 20 Dec Abshot Road from 15 Oct, about five weeks King George V from 21 Oct, about four weeks Stubbington Rec from 14 Dec, about one week Source: Fareham Borough Council press release, 14 October 2026. Bars show the council's estimates; weather can move them. Graphic by Fareham News.
Graphic by Fareham News. Abshot Road goes first, King George V a week later, and Stubbington just before Christmas.

What each play area is getting

The designs follow a public consultation that ran from 23 February to 20 March. The council says they reflect “local priorities”.

Abshot Road, Titchfield Common:

  • an accessible swing with a Tango seat
  • a tile slide and a balancing trail
  • sensory and learning panels, including sign language and counting
  • a bespoke “Farm Shop” play panel for imaginative play
  • interactive graphics painted on the tarmac
  • new seating and better paths around the site

King George V Recreation Ground, Locks Heath:

  • a group basket swing
  • an inclusive seesaw
  • a refreshed toddler multi-play unit for climbing, crawling and sliding
  • a balance trail and an upper-body activity station
  • a low-level play puzzle
  • a maze panel and a wordsearch panel with Fareham-themed features
  • inclusive picnic tables

Stubbington Recreation Ground:

  • an accessible swing with a Tango seat
  • an inclusive springer and an inclusive seesaw
  • sensory and learning panels, including sign language and a bespoke compass
  • a bespoke butterfly play panel
  • interactive tarmac graphics

The work is being done by HAGS, a playground maker. The council says the new equipment goes on each play area’s existing footprint. That means less digging and less disruption around the sites.

Councillor Frair Burgess, the council’s Executive Member for Leisure and Community, said the equipment had been “carefully chosen to provide a wide range of play opportunities, from active and imaginative play through to sensory and educational experiences”.

Where this sits in the council’s plan

The council looks after 46 play areas across the borough, according to its play area improvements page. It upgrades a few each year, on a programme that runs to 2028.

These three are Year 4 of that programme, for 2026/27. The same page lists:

  • Bellfield, Titchfield, also due an upgrade soon, paid for with developer contributions that the council says will let it make the play area “bigger and better”
  • Holly Hill, Park Lane and Priory Park for Year 5, 2027/28

The council says that list is “subject to change”.

Neither Abshot nor King George V appears in the council’s list of play areas upgraded since 2015. Stubbington’s play area was last improved in 2015/16.

This round is separate from the new West Street play area in the town centre, which opened on 7 October after an independent safety inspection. That scheme had a different contractor and was paid for from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

What it means for you

  • If you use the Abshot Road play area, expect work there from today for about five weeks, which takes it to around 19 November.
  • If you use King George V in Locks Heath, work starts on Wednesday 21 October and should take about four weeks.
  • If you use Stubbington Recreation Ground, the work is a short job in the week of 14 December.
  • If your child uses a wheelchair or has sensory needs, all three sites gain inclusive equipment, including accessible swings at Abshot and Stubbington.
  • If you have a question about the work, the council’s Leisure and Community Team is on 01329 236100 or leisure@fareham.gov.uk.

Sources