A NEW play area will open in Brighouse this week.

The Finkil Street play area is part of a multi-million pound nationwide scheme to boost children’s play.

The Brighouse project is one of six being unveiled on Thursday and Friday by Calderdale Council.

They are the first six playgrounds which have been refurbished under the three-year Department for Children, Schools and Families Play Builder programme.

After a competitive bidding process, Calderdale was named one of 44 ‘Play Builder’ authorities in 2008.

The council received £1,171,000 in funding as part of the Government’s Children’s Plan, under which £235m will be allocated over the next three years to build or upgrade more than 3,500 playgrounds nationwide.

The launches take place on Thursday and Friday with councillors, officials and local families being joined by a representative from Play England.

Local children who have contributed their ideas about how to improve the playgrounds have also been invited to the launches.

The new play areas are in Finkil Street, Brighouse; Clough Lane, Mixenden; Crow Wood Park, Sowerby Bridge; Holmes Park, Luddenden Foot; Grantham Road, Boothtown; and Spring Edge, King Cross.

Clr Ian Cooper, Calderdale Council’s Community Services portfolio holder, welcomed the new initiative.

He said: “This project is great news for children across Calderdale and provides a further boost to our ambitious plans to provide top-class, modern play facilities.

“With childhood obesity at an all-time high, we believe it’s more important than ever to encourage children to get active and have the chance to play outdoors in a safe, fun and exciting environment.”