Youngsters' skateboard park dream moves a step closer

Peterlee Town Council and the Peterlee Skate Park Action Group (PSAG) hope to create the park next to the town's new Woodhouse Park.

The group raised £100,000 for the project and originally hoped it would be created in Woodhouse Park.

When the town council earmarked land at Eden Lane for the scheme, the action group collected 3,154 names on a petition backing its own proposals.

Now, the council and action group are working together to get the skate park created next to Woodhouse Park.

The land is owned by Easington District Council and St Bede's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School. The site is considered large enough for the project and has potential space for car parking.

The council's parks and cemetery committee has supported the proposal.

Plans have been drawn up and the council has agreed to insure and maintain the park.

Councillors were told that the plans depend on the council getting agreement to either buy or lease the land, and securing grants for the scheme.

The council has told the action group it may need to seek an alternative site, if it cannot get the use of the land.

Council leader Dennis Coates said: "We would need planning permission, and permission to buy the land, because we don't own it. We have asked our officers to proceed as quickly as possible."

Action group chairman PC Mick Hayton said: "The land the council is looking at is a safe and secure environment, in the same vicinity as the young people have always wanted.

"A working group has been set up between the council and the action group, and it is looking to move the thing forward.

"There are quite a lot of young people who are into skateboarding, but there are few facilities for them. It isn't just the case in Peterlee.

"If there is a particular park where they can go skateboarding, it will mean they are not causing damage or causing accidents by knocking into members of the public - there is always that danger when they are doing it in the street."