A RESIDENT from Oliver’s Battery hasn’t given up on his campaign for an outdoor gym after more than three years of contacting the parish council.

Despite the determination of resident Lloyd Brammer, Oliver’s Battery Parish Council has shut down his calls for an outdoor gym, branding it “completely unaffordable and not a good use of public money”.

Mr Brammer, 62, recently sought funding from the National Lottery for the proposed £26,000 gym in the recreation ground but without the permission of the parish council, which owns the land, the plan is a non-starter.

The active campaigner was inspired by the outdoor gym in Stanmore four years ago and has been contacting the council for a similar installation ever since.

READ MORE: Oliver’s Battery bus service: Resident fights for improvements

Hampshire Chronicle: Outdoor gym equipment at Manford Park

Lloyd said: “It would appeal to adults and children, there’s nothing at the recreation ground for people above the age of 12. A gym would benefit people’s mental and physical health and we’ve got new families moving every week so the council needs to get real.

“There’s plenty of room and now I’ve got the funding there should be no excuse. The parish councillors have been very obstructive to my idea and others too.

“I have been requesting the so-called survey details which were apparently sent to all residents on my gym idea in 2021. We never ever received this so we don't know if it was ever conducted. Were they sent to random residents or all of us?

“We residents pay our parish council through our council tax so I've asked them what they actually have given back to our community. We as a family with young children have received nothing.”

SEE ALSO: Parish councils slam Hampshire County Council's new 49 bus service

A spokesperson for the parish council said: “We’ve considered his request and discounted it as completely unaffordable and not a good use of public money.

“He is the only person in the community who is pushing for outside gym equipment at our recreation ground.

“The parish council is aware of other outside gyms locally that are very lightly used and that have provided poor value for money.

“The council is working towards providing improvements to the Oliver’s Battery Recreation Ground using the responses to a community survey as a template to what is actually asked for and wanted.”

Mr Brammer has been campaigning for the outdoor gym for nearly four years and said he will not give up.