Case Study: Gilmorton Primary School, Leicester
Notts Sport is delighted to announce the completion of a new CocoTurf play area at Gilmorton Primary School in Leicestershire, creating an engaging, natural play environment that combines safety, sustainability, and a design that complements its surroundings. The project features a range of natural timber play equipment set within a seamless CocoTurf safety surface, providing children with a safe and attractive environment to enjoy throughout the school year.
Installed by our approved contractor, Bingham Ground Services, the play space has transformed an area of the school grounds into a vibrant zone for active play, exploration and physical development.
The new play area was made possible through the incredible fundraising efforts of Friends of Gilmorton Primary School, supported by the school community. Their dedication and commitment have helped deliver a lasting facility that will benefit pupils for many years to come. The investment reflects the school's commitment to providing high-quality outdoor spaces that support children's wellbeing, physical activity and learning through play.
When selecting the surfacing for the project, Gilmorton Primary School prioritised sustainability alongside safety and durability. CocoTurf was the ideal solution, offering a natural appearance while delivering the critical impact attenuation required for children's play spaces.
Manufactured using natural coconut fibres, CocoTurf provides a more environmentally conscious alternative to traditional playground surfacing options. Its warm, earthy tones create a softer, more organic aesthetic, blending naturally into school grounds and landscape settings. The installation was particularly well suited to Gilmorton Village, which lies within a designated conservation area. Preserving the character and appearance of the local environment was an important consideration, making CocoTurf's natural look a key advantage.
The finished play area sits comfortably within its surroundings, complementing both the mature landscaping and the traditional architecture of the school buildings. The result is a play space that feels at home within the historic village setting while meeting modern standards for safety and performance.
Duncan Bennett, CEO of Notts Sport, welcomed the completion of the project. "it's incredibly rewarding to see this project come to life. The determination and generosity shown by Friends of Gilmorton and the wider school community have been remarkable, and the result is a fantastic play space that children will enjoy every day."
"The school wanted a surface that was safe, sustainable and sympathetic to the character of the village. CocoTurf was the perfect solution, providing all the safety benefits needed for active play while creating a natural-looking environment that complements our conservation area setting. It's a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared vision."
The completed play area includes a variety of timber play features designed to encourage balance, climbing, coordination and imaginative play. Beneath the equipment, CocoTurf provides a resilient safety surface that helps protect children during play while remaining comfortable underfoot.
As well as delivering excellent safety performance, the surface offers long-term durability and low maintenance requirements, making it a practical investment for schools seeking sustainable outdoor play solutions.
At Notts Sport, we are proud to help schools create inspiring outdoor environments that support children's physical development, wellbeing and enjoyment of play. The completed installation at Gilmorton Primary School demonstrates how sustainable surfacing solutions can be combined with natural play equipment to create a space that is safe, engaging and sympathetic to its surroundings.
We would like to thank Gilmorton Primary School, Friends of Gilmorton Primary School, and Bingham Ground Services for their collaboration in delivering this fantastic new outdoor play area for pupils to enjoy for years to come.
Looking to create a natural, sustainable play environment at your school? Contact the Notts Sport team to learn more about CocoTurf and our range of safer surfacing solutions.
