Fury as developers of upmarket estate try to ban children in ‘social housing’ from using play park

Fury as developers of upmarket ‘countryside community’ try to ban children in ‘social housing’ from using ‘residents only’ play park

  • Residents Only sign was put up at £1 billion Bertha Park estate in Perth, Scotland
  • Factoring firm Screen Autumn, which maintains estate said they had received complaints about ‘children from social housing’ using playground at the estate
  • Sign angered community as some claimed it would make children feel alienated
  • Company has since apologised and confirmed sign will be removed from park 

Developers of an upmarket new ‘countryside community’ have apologised after their management company tried to bar ‘social housing’ children from using the playground.

A Residents Only sign was installed at the new £1 billion Bertha Park estate, in Perth, Scotland, by the estate’s management company Screen Autumn.

The sign was installed after Screen Autumn staff – who maintain the estate on behalf of developer Springfield Properties – told residents they had had complaints about ‘social housing’ children using the playground.

A community at Bertha Park estate (pictured), in Perth, Scotland, was left furious after the management company put up a Residents Only sign to discourage ‘social housing children’ from playing on the estate’s playground as they say they had received a number of complaints

Prices for homes currently available range from £164,000 for a two-bed apartment to £345,000 for a five-bed detached house.

Homeowners were consulted about the sign in advance, and told that it would let people know the park was ‘for residents’ use only’.

Questioned about the wording, a senior member of staff at Screen Autumn told one mother in an email: ‘We have opted to include this due to the overwhelming number of complaints we have been receiving regarding children from the high school and children from social housing using the park, which is owned by and maintained on behalf of residents.’

Springfield has now apologised and agreed to take down the sign. Bosses accepted the sign had led to some residents ‘feeling unwelcome’ and said its aims ‘had not been communicated effectively.’

Mother-of-four Nic Crossley said: ‘It makes me so sad. I don’t want a kid from social housing seeing this sign and feeling like they’re not allowed to play there.’

She said: ‘Bertha Park is a brand new estate, there’s nothing else here.

Mother-of-four Nic Crossley, pictured with children Sullivan, 9, and Benedict, 7, said she did not want children from social housing to see the sign and feel like they were not welcome

 Mother-of-four Nic Crossley, pictured with children Sullivan, 9, and Benedict, 7, said she did not want children from social housing to see the sign and feel like they were not welcome

‘It might be fair play if there was a park attached to the social housing, but there isn’t. The nearest other park is probably a 20 or 30-minute walk away.’

Nic said she couldn’t understand why Screen Autumn had received complaints about children using the park.

‘The community here is lovely and the kids seem very welcoming and polite,’ she said.

‘I’ve seen no empty beer bottles or graffiti since we arrived in September.’

Another mother, who lives in the affordable housing part of the site, said: ‘I felt angry. The sign itself isn’t as offensive as the email.

‘The email clearly states social housing residents should not be using the park, which is disgusting.’

She said: ‘We also pay a factoring fee, and this is our home. We are not some kind of monsters.

‘We have young children who should be out enjoying the fresh air and exercising, not victimised for whether or not their parents bought their home.’

Screen Autumn did not respond to requests for comment directly, but Springfield released a statement confirming that the sign would be taken down.

Central managing director Peter Matthews said: ‘We are sorry the ‘residents only’ sign at Bertha Park playpark has caused upset and confusion, resulting in some residents of the village feeling unwelcome.

‘We installed the sign after hearing concerns from residents of how busy the park had become.

‘While in normal circumstances, we would welcome everyone to enjoy our fantastic playpark, we felt that a reduction in crowds within the facility at this time would be good practice given wider Covid-19 guidance on social distancing.’

He added: ‘Our intention has not been communicated effectively and I can confirm the sign will be removed.’

Mr Matthews confirmed: ‘Every child is welcome at Bertha Park play park.’