'Check' out the chess boards in Seaton's Seafield Gardens

There will be another attraction this summer in Seaton, with East Devon District Council starting work on the new design for Seafield Gardens today (11th February). The completed feature will include seating, interpretation panels and chess and draughts boards where people can play their own games.

The £35,000 refurbishment of Seafield Gardens in Seaton to replace a broken, worn out and costly water feature is an important scheme for the town and has involved the community at every stage.

Work is expected to be completed in five weeks, but it is a complex project involving several different contractors. Whilst the work is taking place this area of the gardens (below the clock tower and down towards the sea) will be closed for safety reasons.  

The new area will include some amphitheatre style seating looking out to sea, tables that are also chess/ draughts boards and interpretation panels explaining something about the history of the area. This is a low-maintenance option that will continue to be managed by East Devon District Council.  

In 2011, due to the large water feature in the gardens being worn out and too costly to maintain, EDDC asked residents of Seaton for their thoughts on how to improve the broken water feature in the local gardens. This led to creating an idea, an image of all the feedback received, into one central and affordable proposal, an example of change and improvement for this seaside town.

In late 2012 at voting events held by EDDC, residents had two options to choose between, either the new design for the area or repairing the water feature and leaving the area as it is. The winning option, with 60% of votes from 139 Seaton residents, was the new design derived from several common ideas that came from the community.

Councillor Steph Jones, EDDC Member Champion for Seaton, said: “Thank you to all the residents that submitted their ideas to us, and then came out and voted.  

“Local residents believe that upgrading Seafield Gardens is the way forward, creating more of a communal area, encouraging people to use the gardens more regularly. I look forward to seeing the finished results.”