CAR parks and play areas across the district are to be upgraded by Teignbridge Council in projects costing a total of £332,000.

Senior councillors agreed the schemes at the executive committee on Monday.

Underspends in the car park budget will allow urgent refurbishment work costing £193,000 to be carried out this financial year at Dawlish Warren outer car park, Decoy, Neweton Abbot, car park, Ness car park, Shaldon and the Polly Steps car park, Teignmouth.

An additional £139,000 is to be spent refurbishing play areas at Bakers Park and Courtenay Park, Newton Abbot and Ducks Pond in Buckfastleigh, this year.

Further play park schemes, including Kingsleigh Park, Kingsteignton and Decoy Park Trim Trail, Newton Abbot will be considered in October.

Council leader Cllr Alan Connett said that, subject to final confirmation, they had been advised they will get £45,000 Play Builder funding from Devon County Council to install equipment for older children at Bakers Park, leaving the district a bill of £40,000.

Work will also press ahead on play parks for the under-eights at Courtenay Park and Ducks Pond, leaving £15,000 unallocated funds to go forward to October.

Teignbridge Council hopes to attract more Play Builder funding for both Kingsleigh Park and Decoy Park. Officers are also going to look into the possibility of getting grant funding to install outdoor gym equipment at Decoy, after hearing from Cllr Sally Morgan that a London borough had done the same.