AFTER nine years of deliberation, the location of the new skate park in Grayshott has been decided by parish councillors - much to the anger of some residents of the village. A heated debate took place between councillors and a group of residents at a meeting of Grayshott Parish Council on Monday night where it was decided that the skate park will be located on the north end of the recreation ground. The decision was taken despite a plea from some councillors for it to be delayed to give them extra time to consider the outcome of the public consultation. However, the council decided that delay was unnecessary and agreed to press ahead. A report summarising the issues discussed at a public consultation meeting last month was distributed at Monday's meeting. It contained two viable site options for consideration - at the north of the recreation ground or at the south, along Headley Road. Many residents at the council meeting argued that the skate park should go at the south of the recreation ground where it would be more visible. They were concerned that should it be located at the northern end, it would increase the number of people flocking to the area and increase the noise heard by neighbouring properties. They also raised concerns over the size of the equipment and the safety risk to skaters posed by overhanging trees. The chairman of the council's recreation and amenities committee, Chris Jones, said that there were pros and cons to each location. The northern site was seen as the best option as it is on scrubland and would not encroach on the existing football and cricket areas. However, some trees would need to be removed, the document said. The council agreed that the south side was problematic due to its close proximity to Headley Road. It feared that the facility could be plagued by vandalism and litter, similar to that occasionally experienced at the pavilion on weekends. It also said that from the north side, the skate park would not be visible from the Headley Road, which could minimise the risk of graffiti as the "art" wouldn't be clearly seen. "The south site is out," argued parish councillor Ron Beach. "It is a danger to the road users as people looking could cause an accident and the trees are also a problem. The north site is the best side to put it," The chairman of planning and conservation, Jan Gale, was also in favour of constructing the skate park on the north side. "I went to see the sports field and I can understand why the north site is the preferred area," she said. However, she proposed that a decision should be deferred for two weeks to allow for further consideration of the public consultation document. "I think if we decide tonight it might be rushing in," she warned. Although she received some support, it was agreed that it was unnecessary and a decision should be made that evening. "As a committee, I am not sure we would have any more information in two weeks as nothing new has come up in my mind that affects the decision," said the vice-chairman of the parish council, Colin Thompson. "A civil engineer has crawled over the site and nothing that was said encourages an alternative. I don't see us coming to a different decision however long we go on with this." Eventually the council agreed to push ahead with the skate park on the north end of the recreation ground and also agreed to create a sub-committee to deal with the logistics of the construction of the facility. However, the decision has attracted criticism from some residents who have contacted The Herald to vent their anger about the "hasty" way such a decision was made. "Having attended the Grayshott Parish Council AGM, I am appalled at the reckless haste being shown by the council in addressing this important parish issue," wrote Stuart McIntyre of Beech Lane, Grayshott. "At the AGM it was clear that the council has not assessed the matter with the diligence the community expects. "What a way to make a serious decision that affect people's lives and those of the community they purport to serve." The manner in which the meeting was conducted has also been criticised by another Beech Lane resident, Doug Holman, who described it as an "almost surreal experience". "It must be said that the lack of professionalism and objectivity displayed by the majority of these councillors was simply disgraceful," he said. Parish council chairman Clive Slaughter told The Herald that residents of the village have been informed about the skatepark for many years. "The decision to support the skate park in principle was taken over four years ago and knowledge of it has been in the public domain ever since. "Residents are welcome to keep up to date with the situation; the problem is not hidden away. "People wishing to attend parish council meetings can do so and the skate park has also been included in the parish magazine." • See letters, page 11.