Raising the Bar for Inclusive Play
At Hopkins Homes, we believe the best neighbourhoods are designed around people. That's why we're introducing a new approach to play spaces that goes beyond standard planning requirements, creating welcoming, inclusive environments where every child has the opportunity to play, explore and thrive.
Developed in partnership with international play equipment specialist Kompan, our new Universal Play Guidance sets a consistent, high-quality standard for play areas across future Hopkins Homes developments. The guidance reflects our commitment to creating places that bring people together, helping families build connections and enjoy healthier, happier lifestyles close to home.
Play Spaces Designed for Everyone
Great play spaces are about much more than swings and slides. They encourage children to develop confidence, creativity and social skills, while giving families welcoming places to spend time together outdoors.
Our new guidance ensures that every play area is thoughtfully designed to be accessible and inclusive from the very beginning. Rather than simply meeting the minimum standards often required through the planning process, Hopkins Homes is raising expectations by incorporating inclusive play features as standard.
For example, even the smallest play areas will include dedicated inclusive play equipment, creating spaces where children of different ages and abilities can enjoy playing together.
Creating Communities That Work for Every Family
The new guidance covers every type of play space, from smaller local play areas through to larger neighbourhood destinations. Alongside carefully selected play equipment, it also considers the wider environment, including:
- Accessible pathways and surfacing
- Sensory play opportunities
- Quiet spaces for children who benefit from calmer environments
- Inclusive design that supports neurodiverse children
- Comfortable seating and accessible routes for parents, grandparents and carers
By thinking about every aspect of the experience, we're creating outdoor spaces that everyone can enjoy.
Leading the Way in Suffolk
The approach is already being showcased at The Elms in Woolpit, where high-quality, inclusive play forms an important part of the community's design.
As one of the first Hopkins Homes developments to adopt the new guidance, The Elms demonstrates how carefully planned green spaces and play areas can enrich everyday life, helping neighbours connect while giving children safe, engaging places to play close to home.
Designed with Research at Its Heart
The Universal Play Guidance has been developed alongside Kompan and informed by research from the company's Play Institute, which studies how play environments support children's physical, social and cognitive development.
The guidance is based on a simple principle: the most successful inclusive play spaces are those where accessibility is built into the design from the outset, rather than added later. It also considers the varying sensory needs of children, ensuring play spaces offer opportunities for both active exploration and quieter, more relaxed play.
Building Better Places to Live
Graeme Smith, Group Innovation & Design Director, said:
"Planning guidance provides an important baseline, but we believe we have an opportunity to go further.
"This framework gives our teams clear design principles that go beyond planning requirements, ensuring every development delivers play spaces that are welcoming and fully inclusive."
Ashleigh Thomson, Area Sales Manager at Kompan, added:
"Many residential play areas are still designed primarily around planning compliance and budget. What's different here is that Hopkins Homes has embedded inclusive design into every level of provision, considering not only the equipment, but how the entire space works for children, families and carers.
"It's encouraging to see a housebuilder taking this approach, and we hope it helps demonstrate what can be achieved when inclusion is considered from the very beginning of the design process."
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating exceptional communities, the Universal Play Guidance will continue to evolve, incorporating the latest research, best practice and feedback from residents to ensure our neighbourhoods remain welcoming places for generations to come. A copy of the guidance is available to download here.