A PIRATE-themed £100,000 play area on the cliff top is set to be opened in time for the Easter holidays.

Work on the Cliff Walk park play area started on February 6 and is expected to take six to eight weeks to complete, meaning it should be completed in time for the school break as the Vale council continues to upgrade seven parks and open spaces across Penarth.

The council is using section 106 funds from local housing developments to build play areas across the town.

A near four-metre climbing frame called the Crow’s Nest will form the centrepiece of the revamped Cliff Walk play area - situated off Cliff Parade and on the coastal path.

The ‘nest’ will overlook a range of new installations including an octopus seesaw, large ship play unit, two-bay swing, double somersault bars and stepping stones, among other features.

The council says that inclusivity was a key feature when drawing up the plans for the park, with accessible surfacing to and around multifunctional play areas.

The products in the park are also said to be equipped with diverse play opportunities that can be accessed from all angles.

A wheelchair-accessible roundabout is now also set to be unveiled, an addition that was recently included in the council’s renovation of Plassey Square.

Anna Murphy, co-founder of Oshi’s World, a local charity that supports the families of children with disabilities and special needs, played a role in consulting the council regarding the inclusion of the wheelchair-accessible roundabout.

Around £200,000 had been set aside by the council’s visible service reserve to enhance Cliff Walk and Cwrt Y Vil play areas.

Of this, £110,000 was set aside for Penarth’s Cliff Walk Park, whilst a further £4,000 has been contributed by the council to add the wheelchair-accessible roundabout, which the contractor – Sunshine Playgrounds – has agreed to install, free-of-charge.

Deputy leader of the council, and cabinet member for regeneration and education, councillor Lis Burnett, said: "The upgrade of seven parks and open spaces across Penarth has followed consultation with local residents over the last year, with both online surveys and drop-in sessions enabling the public to let us know what they would like included.

"We were keen to ensure that children of all abilities were able to play together at Cliff Walk Park.

"I look forward to seeing them enjoy the exciting new features it has to offer in the very near-future."

For more information on the consultation on proposed upgrades to play areas in the Vale of Glamorgan, www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/en/our_council/consultation/previous-consultations/Play-Area-Improvements.aspx.