Skaters celebrate as work begins on £22,000 facility

Enthusiasts worked with Chester-le-Street District Council on the plans for the facility at the town's Riverside Sports Complex and it is due to open on Saturday, August 31.

The youngsters wrote to the council about a year ago asking for a dedicated area where they could perform stunts without getting into trouble.

Since then, more than a dozen skateboarders have held regular meetings with the council, drawing up designs and finding suppliers and funding.

Last week the council's planning and licensing committee gave the development planning permission and work has now started on the site.

The council's community leisure manager, Bill Lightburn, said the facility was much needed.

"Even following their chosen activity in the street they get criticised and chased around by the residents, but when you think about it, they're doing nothing more than being sociable.

"This enables them to follow their hobby in a controlled environment."

Room for the park has been made by realigning the complex's tennis courts, although it has been emphasised that no tennis courts have been lost.

The park will be at the furthest point from houses and the council says it will have no greater impact on residents than the tennis courts. It will close at dusk.

The council has put £20,000 towards the project and the group has obtained the remaining £2,000 from the County Durham Foundation's Investing in Children fund.

Jonathan Foreman, 16, who is studying for his A-Levels, was one of the youngsters who originally wrote to the council asking it to provide the facility.

He said: "We've seen some drawings, the company behind it gave us everything we wanted so we're really pleased."

Sites for skate parks are being sought in Durham City by a partnership that includes the city council.

The move comes as Durham County Council has issued an appeal to skateboarders not to use its County Hall headquarters as a makeshift park because of the damage it is causing.