A HOUSING association is set to plough £50,000 into creating three new children's playgrounds on a Vange estate...and youngsters will have their say about what facilities they want to see installed.

South Anglia Housing is asking local children and parents from the 3/4 estate how they want to spend the cash injection.

The housing firm, which owns 700 of the 1,200 homes on the estate, is in the process of carrying out a £14.5million regeneration of the area.

As part of the redevelopment, it has identified three sites for new play areas.

Now a survey has been distributed by the housing association to all homes on the Vange 3/4 estate, asking people for their views on the location and the type of play equipment they want.

The three sites identified are Polsteads, Redgrave Road and Middle Crockerford, although neighbouring residents will be consulted before a final decision is made.

Parents and children are being asked to vote on whether slides, swings, roundabouts, or towers with multiple pieces of play equipment, should be put in.

A consultation evening is being held tonight at Trinity Methodist Church, in Clay Hill Road, from 6pm.

Private firm Safe and Sound Playgrounds will be working with South Anglia Housing to create the new playgrounds. Designs showing what the play equipment could look like will be on display, and South Anglia Housing is encouraging residents to come along and have their say.

Caroline Kaldani, acting head of community development for South Anglia Housing, said: "We support the Government's calls for additional play areas, and are pleased to support three new playgrounds in Vange for local children.

"All the equipment will be suitable for the under seven age group, and will provide three additional spaces for local children to get outdoors and play safely with their friends.

"We are giving all Vange residents the opportunity to come along tonight and influence the plans for the play areas, to ensure the play equipment is really what local children and parents want."

South Anglia Housing hopes to start installing play equipment by late autumn.