Sound it out

Children need outdoor play. Jan White and Julie Mountain suggest ways to organise it without upsetting the neighbours While children may enjoy a high-decibel run around their nursery outdoor area, their noisy play isn't always appreciated by the neighbours, who, according to play charities, are becoming ever less tolerant of children's exuberance (see box). But the very prospect of having noisy children over their garden fence is often enough to make prospective neighbours complain and so thwart would-be providers' attempts to gain planning permission for their nursery.