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Residents have expressed their frustration after shelling out more than £2,000 for the upkeep of a children's play area, which they claim is "just a log". Homeowners on Cresswell Road in Swanscombe, Kent, have been forking out to property management firm FirstPort for the maintenance of non-existent play equipment. A total of £2,370 - divided among 100 homes - has been coughed up for the so-called "playground facilities" on the new build estate since 2022. These 'facilities' include a large log, some smaller chunks of wood, a bench and a few stones. Locals allege that they were initially promised a much more impressive play area, which had delighted many of the young families, but the reality has proven to be a letdown. Now, the residents are calling for clarity from the management agency about where their money is going, as they insist they've never seen any workers. Adura Aknde, 46, who purchased her home five years ago when they were first built, says she keeps receiving letters "demanding" more cash without seeing any improvements. The mum said: "My husband complains a lot about what we pay because they don't do anything with it. It is not about the charges, it is about value for money. "It is really overgrown around the back. We really don't understand what the money is for. "If they are just cutting the grass then we can pay someone to do that ourselves for the ridiculous amount they charge. There is nothing there to play on. I have never been on that field, there is nothing to do there. "When they first showed us the plans there was a lovely play area for the children, but this isn't it. It is an absolute rip-off. They said the money is to make it safe, but it isn't safe because there are always foxes coming in." Jess Clarke, 29, who has lived in her home for five years, says she would love to have a proper play area for when her six-month-old son becomes old enough to use it. She added: "My son isn't old enough to play in it yet, but it would have been nice to have a proper play area. We were promised a playground and it is just a log. We don't ever go over there because there is nothing to go there for. "I would rather they actually use the money to do something. Having somewhere just around the corner for the kids would have been lovely. All they do with our money is cut some grass." Numerous families claim the area is only suitable for children to kick a football about, yet a notice displayed outside prohibits ball games entirely. The sign also declares that the log is exclusively appropriate for "children aged under 14 years" and that dog walkers mustn't use it for exercising their pets, severely restricting what activities are actually allowed. One resident of four years, who preferred not to be named, revealed youngsters couldn't even use the log because it was riddled with fungus. The mum in her mid-40s said: "The play area isn't a play area, it is just a patch of grass. It is just a few pieces of log that have been thrown there. There is fungi growing on the log, so the kids can't even climb on it. "It had never been an interesting place to go and gather. You don't even want to go for a walk there. It would be really helpful for them to make it a cheerful community place." Another resident, aged 40, revealed she still had to fork out "thousands" to the management company despite owning her home outright. The mum, who has resided in her home for five years, added: "We are paying a huge amount of money to this management team and they don't even cut the grass. They call it a play area and there isn't anywhere to play. You can't call that a play area; it is just an open space. "You can't even let your kids in there because people's dogs poop and pee on it and they don't clean it up. We don't think that they do anything. They are charging thousands of pounds and still there are leaves everywhere." A spokesperson for FirstPort responded: "The play area and surrounding fencing have been designed and implemented by the developer and we maintain the area in line with our management agreement. This includes routine health and safety inspections, such as RoSPA, repairs and general upkeep to ensure it meets required standards. "The property manager routinely visits the development and will be on site this week. We welcome the opportunity to speak directly with residents, explain how costs are allocated, and answer any questions about the breakdown of charges."
