Community Amenities

The Recreation Ground
Contact: Parish Clerk: Lorraine Gulliford kingstonclerk@gmail.com

Kingston Parish Council owns a 2.5 acre field given to the parish in 1953 by the Honourable Helen W. Mildmay White for recreational purposes. At one end there are children’s play areas, see below and a solid multi purpose surface area known as Ted’s Tarmac, with nets and marked up for various games. At the other end of the field is another part of Ted’s Tarmac, containing skateboarding ramps, completed in 2006. Ted’s Tarmac is named in memory of Ted Curtis, a much loved past Parish Council Chairman and community activist, with a particular interest in the wellbeing of young people. Money collected in Ted’s memory and a grant from the government’s Living Spaces programme to Kingston Young People’s Association, enabled the area to be surfaced and equipment to be bought.

Cllr Christine Marsh, Chair of Devon County Council opened a variety of new play equipment on the field on October 23, 2010, thanks to Active Kingston, a village based community group, which succeeded in implementing an exciting project to replace and extend the old playground. This project includes:an aerial runway; a fenced play area for younger children; a picnic area with seats, tables and a log cabin and finally an adventure trail for older children.  The project was financed through several grants and by money raised within the village. Both Active Kingston and Kingston Parish Council gratefully acknowledge the generous funding contributions provided by: the Big Lottery; the Co operative Community Fund; Devon County Council; South Devon Coastal Local Action Group; South Hams District Council and last but by no means least, the residents of Kingston itself.  See under ‘Active Kingston’ for more information on this fantastic project.

 

 

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE RECREATION GROUND IS NOT SUPERVISED.

The Parish Plan Advisory Group worked with the parish tree wardens to improve the overall environment of the field. A copse of trees was planted in National Tree Week, 2010 and more trees are planted along the hedgerows. We are grateful to theTree Council for funding to support this initiative and to the Woodland Trust for hedgrow whips. The Parish Council has also agreed to allow the hedgrows around the field to grow up and thicken in order to increase the amount and diversity of wildlife present.

A Parish Council Sub Committee was set up in March 2011 to carry out the day to day management of the Recreation Ground. The Recreation Ground Committee Terms of Reference are here.

Open Space
Contact: Alison and Adrian Lewis, owners: Greenbanks, Kingston.

During 2003-5 parishioners were involved in laying a claim under new Open Spaces legislation to a privately-owned piece of land, known as Middle Townsend Park, over which they had walked and carried out other activities for many years. The land was owned by an absentee landlord who had not maintained it, but who decided to bar public access. Working with Devon County Council, and invoking the CROW (Countryside and Rights of Way Act), a right of way was granted in late 2005.  Shortly after this the land was sold to a village family, who have fenced off a part of it to graze their horses, whilst allowing access to the Open Space. The path is now there for all to enjoy and can form part of circular walks around the village, see under ‘Walking in Kingston’.

Allotments
Contact: Parish Clerk: kingstonclerk@gmail.com

Kingston Parish Council owns a field containing 10 main and two smaller allotment plots which it lets out to parishioners under the Allotments Act. This Act requires that the money received from rentals (currently £30 per plot) should be used for their maintenance. There are chickens and often bees kept on on site.  A copy of the allotment tenancy contract can be seen below. Contact the Clerk if you are a Kingston resident and interested in having an allotment.
Allotment tenancy contract

Kingston Village Calor Marquee 
Kingston Parish Council purchased the village marquee from the Calor Village of the Year Award money  for the use ofthe community. If you are a Kingston resident and would like to hire this marquee please contact the Parish Clerk.

There are now Three Marquees; Two larger ones at 6 metres by 12 metres starting at £100 for hire. The smaller Marquee is 6 metres by 4 metres starting at £45 for hire.  The hire charges are used to repair and replace parts of the marquee as necessary. The Marquees are for the use of Kingston parish only.