Parents are calling for more inclusivity as Maldon Council announces new plans for play equipment at Promenade Park. The Galleon play ship, a popular open air playground for children in and around Maldon, will be replaced by a newer version, the council has announced after plans received the green light. The plans for the new playground show an updated version with a new structure of 19.5 metres in width, 17.6 metres in depth and a maximum height to the top of the mast of 6.6 metres, taller than the existing ship. Both the pirate ship and the lighhouse will include slides, climbing ladders and ropes, as well as zip lines and climbing walls. But the plans have been criticised by parents of children with disabilites, as they are deemed inaccessible. Rachel Mower’s daughter Imelda, 7, needs a wheelchair and walker to get around and the new playground seems more like an obstacle than a fun play opportunity. The Braintree mother said: “We like to visit Maldon, it has an accessible toilet and changing place and my son loves to cycle and scoot along the prom. “But I can’t have one child playing, while the other one is forced to watch. My daughter knows that she is missing out, and it breaks my heart to see it. “Its 2024, and my child is still left out. Kids have a right to play together and it would have been a great chance to create a space for all children to play. It can’t be an afterthought.” Just like her, many parents have asked the council to share accessibility details, but without a response yet. “We are more than happy to sit down at a table and help,” said Rachel, who emailed a list of accessible playgrounds in Essex to Maldon Council to make bosses aware of the difference design can make. “Turning off Facebook comments on your announcement about the new Galleon ship play park will not silence our community. You have an opportunity here to provide an accessible park that will bring amazing publicity and improve footfall for purely doing the right thing.” Maldon Council has been approached for comment.