Removing a piece of equipment from a playpark?

[J4mes]

Bit of background:

Outside our house, is a play park, for kids. It was built without our knowledge (wasn't on the plans) the solicitor didn't pick it up because on the plans it was marked as NEAP. But the developers wouldn't tell anyone what it meant. It means Neighbourhood Equipped Area of Play.

We've been here 3 years now, and there is this big basket type swing in there. Can get 10 kids on it, while the rest throw it about. The noise is horrendous. Don't get me wrong, kids having fun is fine, but in the summer this thing is in use 8 hours a day and we can't have the windows open or sit in the garden because we can't hear anything else.

The developers after over 80 individual complaints, took the swing down. Everything was fine, kids played nicely, noise was minimal. Then they put it back up, thinking the kids deserved another chance. 6 months went by, the noise was unreal, complaints mounted up and then it got taken down again.

Today, after a year of it not being there, it's arrived back again. No notice (when they took it away both times, they sent everyone a letter saying why - antisocial behavior and misuse) no consultation, no requests for ideas or opinions, it's just appeared again, and the noise level is back up to where it was last time - 10 teenagers riding it while the rest chuck it about, screaming, swearing, all the rest of it.

So, as this thing is just bolted up on a frame, I'm planning to take it down Monday morning and then deliver it to the developers site office.

Legal implications? If I get it down without damaging it, is there any legal issues? Is it theft if I return it to them? As the playpark is owned by a Community Trust which I pay in to, does that make me a partial owner of the equipment?

No doubt some will think I am a miserable git, and some will have far bigger problems with criminal damage, violence, drug abuse or whatever but this really gets on my tits to be honest. We're trying to sell the house at the minute and the last thing we need is 20 screaming kids putting viewers off. No one in their right mind would buy the house when it's as noisy as it is at the minute.

Thanks

[Barry_M2]

Keep damaging it so it can't be used (do this every time it's repaired too), blame it on the teenagers using it, say they are being anti social in how they use it etc....
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[fatpies]

TBH I don't think it is theft. As theft and stealing are the intention to permanently deprive.

If you unbolt it and bring it to them, they won't have a case for theft. But they may have a case for criminal damage. And since they are going to be bigger than you, they can get the cops to do something against you.

Or hell they may just send you a bill to 'repair it'

My thoughts are just live with it, we were all young once and you're just being a NIMBY.

Or hope some 'motivated scrap metal merchants' come along and take it.

My local playground which I have to walk across to get to the local shop is filled with needles and used jonnies. (but it saves a 25 minute walk around). And no children go there ever.
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[Paivi]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

1. Undo bolts
2. Horrendous accident
3. ?
4. Profit.
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[multijoy]

Criminal damage. Doesn't matter if it's repairable.

It's one for your local authority. Start keeping a log, get onto the noise enforcement team/ ASB mob, because it's not the equipment that's the issue but the manner in which it's used.

I'd also give the community trust a piece of my mind, and make the position clear in no uncertain terms.

All that said, if there's no CCTV, who's going to know if you've dismantled it? If it keeps happening, they may just decide that they can't be arsed to keep coming back.
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[Pete.]

It only took 6 people complaining about noise to almost end motorsport events at Elvington Airfiled. Surely with so many people complaining the council must take some action.

Personally if it were my peace being destroyed I would steal out there in the early hours, un-bolt it and muller the bolts, then push it over.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

If you're worried about removing the equipment, why not just remove the people causing the noise.

Smear it all in dog poo.
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[WannaBeDude]

Don't do it officially, you WILL bring 'hassle ' upon yourself.

Do it 4am or dog poo idea is ' cool '
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[iooi]

[bazza]

[Raffles]

[WannaBeDude]

Fuckoff ... i like red.

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[TheDonUK]

Dog poo is a great idea... Ham
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[Rogerborg]

Find some Romanians with a clapped out Transit, tell them there's a big load of metal sitting around unguarded, job done.
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[TheDonUK]

All the scrap hounds i see are Pikeys...

A Romanian is more likely to be begging on hangar lane

/racism
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[mistergixer]

[P.addy]

[ninja_butler]

It's a temporary fix but if it's the noise of metal squeaking against metal, you could squirt some grease into the linkage.

[mistergixer]

[stinkwheel]

Spin it round and round the pole so the chain gets all wrapped round it and no-one can reach to get it down again.

That's what always used to happen to the swings on my local playpark.

Or start a rumour that there's a pedophile been seen hiding in the bushes nearby taking photos.
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[Rogerborg]

[DrDonnyBrago]

Sneak out at 4 am and cut the chains.

Repeat everytime they repair it until it is either pikied away or they stop repairing it.


I also hate the sound of kids having fun .

[P.addy]

[J4mes]

Thanks for all the replies - dog poop was a great idea, as our labrador likes to curl out around 4 giant logs per day...but...

My missus went to the site office, who confirmed that they had received a considerable amount of complaints already. They told her that the swing had been reinstalled by the developers prior to the "handover meeting" for which it had to be there or the handover could not take place. Now that the handover is complete, the swing has gone! And the community trust have confirmed that the swing will not return, and that the frame is going to be dug up and reinstalled in a more suitable location - which is great for us, as we have a viewing on the house tomorrow afternoon!

Thanks for all the replies and info, I'll bear it in mind