Staverton Parish Council

Staverton is a small, picturesque village in the South Hams district of Devon, sitting in the Dart Valley just a few miles from Totnes. It is the kind of close-knit rural community where the local play area is far more than a patch of equipment – it is a genuine gathering point for families, a space where children of all ages can meet, play and grow, and a visible sign of how much a parish values its younger residents.

When Staverton Parish Council decided the time had come to invest in their play area, they approached Rhino Play to help them make the most of the space. As a company that works extensively with local authorities and community groups across Devon and the South West, we understood exactly what was needed – equipment and surfacing that would stand up to year-round use in a rural outdoor environment, look great in a natural village setting, and serve the community for many years to come.

Staverton is a small, picturesque village in the South Hams district of Devon, sitting in the Dart Valley just a few miles from Totnes. It is the kind of close-knit rural community where the local play area is far more than a patch of equipment – it is a genuine gathering point for families, a space where children of all ages can meet, play and grow, and a visible sign of how much a parish values its younger residents.

When Staverton Parish Council decided the time had come to invest in their play area, they approached Rhino Play to help them make the most of the space. As a company that works extensively with local authorities and community groups across Devon and the South West, we understood exactly what was needed, equipment and surfacing that would stand up to year-round use in a rural outdoor environment, look great in a natural village setting, and serve the community for many years to come.

The Multi Sports Area

We also provided a small multi sports area using galvanised & powder coated sports fencing in a green that really suited the beautiful natural surroundings, together with a high quality thick pile artificial grass laid onto a sub base.

The decision to use green powder coated fencing rather than a more industrial finish was a deliberate one. In a village setting like Staverton, where the play area sits within a natural landscape, it was important that the new infrastructure felt at home rather than out of place. Green fencing blends with the treeline and hedgerows, allowing the equipment itself to be the visual focal point rather than the perimeter.

The artificial grass laid within the multi sports area serves a dual purpose. It provides a consistent, even playing surface that performs well regardless of the weather – no mud, no bare patches, no waterlogged ground while the high quality thick pile finish gives it a genuinely attractive, natural look that complements the surrounding environment. Laid onto a properly prepared sub base, it drains freely and requires virtually no ongoing maintenance, which is an important consideration for a Parish Council managing a community facility on a limited budget.

The combination of the sports fencing and the artificial grass surface created a clearly defined, purposeful activity zone that works for informal games, structured play and community events alike.

The Impact

This has transformed the whole area & has given the local people a new focus for events & recreation where the bigger facilities are harder to reach.

This captures something really important about community play areas in rural Devon. For families in villages like Staverton, the nearest sports centre, leisure facility or large public park may be a significant drive away. A well-designed, well-equipped local play area removes that barrier entirely – it gives children somewhere to be active, creative and social right on their doorstep, and it gives families and neighbours a reason to come together outdoors.

The addition of the multi sports area in particular broadens the appeal of the space beyond younger children. Older children and teenagers, who are often poorly served by traditional playground equipment, have a space they can genuinely use. The transformation of the play area has, in a very real sense, given Staverton a new community asset. Rhino Play is proud to have been part of that and proud that the equipment and surfacing we installed continues to serve the village well.