A CASH windfall of £75,000 means children living on a Thornbury housing estate will finally get the play area they have been dreaming of.

Thornbury Town Council confirmed this week that it is to spend £75,000 on a new play area for the Eastland Avenue estate thanks to a grant and a one-off cash windfall.

The town council has said it is set to receive £25,000 from Merlin Housing Association, via South Gloucestershire Council, and £50,000 from the government’s Playbuilder Grant.

Earlier this year South Gloucestershire Council announced that it would be returning some of the money from its sale of council houses directly to the wards containing the houses. Through this scheme Thornbury North ward is to receive the £25,000.

Councillors in the town have been working for several years to transform the grass area on Eastland Avenue and despite taking on a 20-year lease of the land last summer concerns were raised about where the finances would come from to fund the play scheme.

Plans for the small green space include a fort on top of the mound with two slides, ropes and steps, a tyre swing, picnic tables and space for football.

Cllr Lesley Jones, chairman of Thornbury Town Council’s playing fields committee, said: "The town council with advice from South Gloucestershire's Play officer and with a great deal of input from local residents has drawn up plans for an interesting and robust play area on the Eastland Estate.

"The Town Council has put money to start the project into this year's budget but we know that much more will be needed."

However, councillors are now hopeful that the project can get underway with the purchase of play equipment ready for use by local children.

Cllr Clare Fardell, South Gloucestershire councillor for the Thornbury North ward, said: "Local residents have worked very closely with councillors over a number of years to turn this open space into a modern play area which will stimulate children's imagination.

"It is great news that those who have worked so hard in the Eastland area will not have to wait much longer for the first phase to begin."