Barking sausage dog-shaped bench among street furniture heading to Melbourn Science Park thanks to designs by pupils

A sausage dog-shaped bench that barks, a rainbow community and kindness themed bench, and a bird-shaped picnic table are among the pieces of street furniture designed by pupils that will be incorporated into Melbourn Science Park following a competition.

Sixty Melbourn Primary School pupils were invited to take part by site owner Bruntwood SciTech, working with Cambridgeshire County Council’s youth engagement team, and five children’s creations have been chosen to be put into creation.

Pupils, parents, carers and staff from the school were taken on a tour of the park and attended a workshop hosted by youth engagement team and the landscape architect lead for Melbourn Science Park, Sarah Harris.

Jamie Clyde, Bruntwood SciTech’s director for the southern region said: “This is a really exciting project. Not only are the pupils involved in a creative design process at Melbourn Science Park, they also gain an insight into STEM careers and future job opportunities that could lie ahead for them in their own village.

“With inspirational leadership from Dr Bonnie Kwok, the principal urban designer from Cambridgeshire County Council’s planning team, and landscape architect Sarah Harris from Planit IT Limited, the children are learning to appreciate that they can aspire to whatever they choose.”

Tom Davis, an urban designer from the council’s planning department, said: “The importance of this project is that it reaches out to groups in society who would not usually be involved in the planning and design process. In this case, the local children are able to get involved, see the proposed plans for Melbourn Science Park, ask questions and give feedback. They can offer creative ideas and input into street furniture design which they will use in the future. They get to find out first-hand what is going on in their village and see what’s going to affect them in the future.”

Sarah Harris, from Planit IT Limited, said: “Opening up the science park to the wider community is a great thing! It is a key move in ensuring the future of the Park is an asset to Melbourn. The engagement with local school children to create a piece of street furniture is even more special and will hopefully be a catalyst in strengthening the relationship between Melbourn Science Park and the wider community.”