The new sketch provides more insight into the planned overall design of the Sunderingam Estate playground.
It was announced on Wednesday that the 94-year-old Queen is planning a major overhaul of the playing field at Sandringham, adding features inspired by the landmarks surrounding her Norfolk estate.
One of these structures is the Apple Paltan Water Tower, built in 1877 and has stood the test of time ever since.
The stunning new playground, set to replace the existing small play area, will be built amidst trees and will provide similar amenities to the viewers in the nature garden at the back of the cat, including swings, steps and treehouses.
The Queen has unveiled plans to expand Sandringam Estate’s play area into a multi-level adventure playground, featuring features similar to last year’s Duchess of Cambridge Chelsea Flower Show. Picture: Sanderingham House
A sketch of the spectacular playground, unveiled today, demonstrates the transformation of the children’s field in the Sunderingam Estate. It asks to include a model of the local Appleton Water Tower in the playground
The playground sketch released today features a wooden tower structure with a curling slide and accessibility ramp for wheelchair accessible children.
The main feature on the estate will be a 26-foot-tall pair of towers based on the former Victorian tower at Apple Platoon.
It will have a spiral staircase and a 46-foot sliding tube back to the ground, as well as water facilities, stairs, a climbing wall and talking tubes for children to communicate between floors.
The tower, which supplied water to the estate, remained fully operational until restored in 1976.
Many of the features are similar to those designed by Dashes Cam f Cambridge for its Back to Nature garden in 2019.
The tower is especially famous for the scenic views it presents, which is said to reach The Wash, which opens to the North Sea.
The sketch was unveiled after a design statement said the existing play area would be made ‘more adventurous’ and ‘appealed to a wider range of children and families’.
Some of the features are reminiscent of the beautiful display Kate Middleton presented at the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2019, who at the time seemed happy to visit the Queen.
A stream in the garden, the tree house, the swing of the rope, featuring Kate’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, then six, four and 12 months old, were featured.
Playground area layout details, complete with picnic area and transformation-level miniature models of the Queen’s favorite local landmarks
The Cambridge children, while their father, Prince William, was 37 at the time, photographed roasted marshmallows with their parents during a flower show.
Kate collaborated with Andre Davis and Adam White at the Royal Horticultural Society Back to Nature Garden, to celebrate nature and childhood memories.
The plans follow recent improvements to car parks, restaurants, shops and a visitor center in a 20,000-acre estate that receives 500,000 visitors a year.
The planning application states: ‘The playground is an important part of the fur at Sandringham, to create a desirable location for families with young children.
‘It was discussed that the existing offer, though successful and enjoyed by many, could be improved by adding height to the structure, enhancing the adventurous nature of the game’s elements and making the themed elements different and distinct from Sandringham.’
The sketch shows that the structures that will be rebuilt for the playground include from left to right: the platoon Water Tower, Queen Alexandra’s Nest, St. Mary Magdalena’s Church and Ruin Church St f St. Mary’s
The plans describe a play tool for children to explore as a ‘multilevel play structure inspired by St. Mary Magdalene Church’.
The queen and other members of the royal family attend a 16th-century church while at Sunderingham House over Christmas.
Another feature is inspired by the medieval relics of St. Mary’s Church in Appleton while the ‘Secret Closed Game Structure’ is based on a summerhouse called Queen Alexandra’s Wreath and was built in 1912, overlooking a lake in the garden of Sandringham House.
The toddler play area includes two playhouses with slides, two steps, a connecting bridge and a low-level walkway that allow parents to walk with their children.
The planning application states: “The purpose of this master plan for the adventure play area is to consolidate the venue, to maintain the trail of the current game, while ensuring that all new elements combine with the existing one to make the site feel harmonious.”
‘Consideration is also given to using high quality natural materials, this is important for a tactile and sensory game experience. We aim to create source content locally wherever possible. ‘
The price of the new play area has not been announced.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The planning applications recently submitted to Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council are ongoing estate renovation works in Senderingham’s Visitor Center and Country Park.”
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