THE go-ahead has been given for the construction of a BMX track on land at Alton Town Council's Greenfields amenity site.

And it is hoped the new track will be up and running in under a month.

Those present at last week's meeting of Alton Town Council's recreation committee agreed that work should start as soon as possible to provide a track above the kick-about area on the site, so that it will be some distance away from the children's playground.

While some 15 local residents, including youngsters, supported a public site meeting to discuss the project on March 1 this year, councillors heard that three people turned up at the June meeting of the Greenfields amenity working party to express concern over the proposed location.

The decision to go ahead was taken on grounds that a great deal had been done by the working party to listen to and accommodate all views but, in the end, members had to accept that it would be impossible to please everyone.

"I was impressed by the attitude of the young people who came to talk to us about the setting up of a BMX track. They were polite, respectful and very positive," said working party chairman, Bob Evans who was keen for the project to get off the ground without further delay.

It was stressed, however, that should the facility attract an unacceptable level of anti-social behaviour, the town council would have no hesitation in flattening it.