PLANS are being drawn up for a new play area in Milnthorpe but it is unlikely to be open for use until next year.

Wooden play equipment on the playing fields on Park Road was removed a few weeks ago after a South Lakeland District Council inspector decided it was unsafe.

The parish council is looking at proposals to replace the equipment but, at a meeting this week, they warned due to the cost of the scheme and having not budgeted for it for this year, it was unlikely this would happen until the next financial year.

Councillors are due to discuss how much they can spend out of the council's reserve funds at a finance committee meeting in September.

They are also going to look into the possibility of setting up a separate committee to manage the play area to try to draw funds in from more sources than are open to the parish council.

An application for funding is to be made to the Lancashire Landfill Tax scheme.