PLAYTIME could be over for children on some of Oxford's estates as play areas are set for closure in a city council cost-cutting review.

According to council officers, 16 of the city's 97 play areas are surplus to requirements as there are similar facilities nearby.

Additional play areas could also be closed because refurbishing them is considered to be too costly.

The council's landscape and play team has an annual budget of £48,000 and claims the cost of refurbishing all 97 play areas would be £2.5m over six years.

It has graded the condition of each and estimated the cost of repairing it. Those considered to be underused, that are in areas where there are alternative facilities, have been earmarked for closure.

Of these, seven are in Blackbird Leys, three in Wood Farm and one in Barton.

Veronica Betteridge's daughters Tahli, ten, and Jorge, 9, use the threatened Juniper Drive play area in Blackbird Leys and she said it would be sorely missed if it was closed.

She said: "I won't let my two out of my sight to play because you have to be so careful about where they go these days, so that's the only park we let them go to."

Her mother-in-law Margaret Betteridge added: "The kids can't go to the Pegasus Road park on their own because they have to cross a main road.

"The council doesn't want the kids to play on the grass outside, so they would have nowhere to go."

Tahli said: "If it goes, all of us round this street will really miss it."

Tim Chapman, senior public health manager at Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust, said fresh air and outdoor play was vital both socially and in helping keep children healthy.

While the Juniper Drive play area, which consists of a slide and two swings, was said to be in a 'fair' condition, it requires urgent repairs at a cost of £22,000. Westfield Close in Cowley is estimated to cost £38,000 to repair and Bernwood Park in Barton £55,000. If they are closed, they could be sold for development or remain as open space.

But the council's parks manager John Wade said they were in the process of consulting schools, playgroups and residents about the proposals and nothing was 'set in stone' yet. The consultation will finish at the end of the month.