Work to revamp the Braybrook Street play area in Wormwood Scrubs is set to begin on 20 October, Hammersmith and Fulham Council has announced.
The first phase of the Braybrook play area improvement scheme will focus on the under-8s area, with the installation of new equipment including swings, climbing frames, a train engine, carriage, and ticket office. New safety surfacing will also be laid, and existing surfacing will be overlaid to improve accessibility.
Vicky Abel, the Wormwood Scrubs Development Manager, said that the installation work should be completed by 19 November, weather permitting. The area where the new equipment is being installed will be fenced off, but the majority of the under-8s play area will remain open during the works, except for a two-to-three-day period when the safety surfacing is renewed.
Following the equipment installation, the path leading from Braybrook Street entrance will be extended into the play area towards the north and the over-8s section. According to the reports pack, this path extension and the subsequent installation of a low-level wooden fence to enclose the under-8s area are scheduled to be completed before Christmas, subject to favourable weather conditions.
The need to provide shade in the play area will be considered once the work is complete. The council has stated that options for shade cover that will not pose a maintenance risk to the lifespan of the upgraded facilities will be assessed at that time.
Phase two of the improvement project will involve installing a large-scale piece of play equipment for the over-8s in the northeast corner of the play area. This phase will also include additional safety surfacing to infill the grassed spaces between existing equipment to improve accessibility. Procurement for this phase is due to commence in September, with a contract award expected by November. Work is likely to commence in early 2026, subject to contractor submissions and planning permission. The delay between phase one and phase two is due to the time required for procurement and contractor submissions.
The updates were provided at the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust Committee meeting on Wednesday 24 September 2025. The agenda and reports pack are available online.
