NEW possible sites for a skatepark in Bordon have been identified by Whitehill Town Council.

Further inquiries will be made about land next to the Meadow Special School, on the corner of Mill Chase Road and Hollywater Road, where councillors said they would prefer to site the facilities for skateboarders and BMX riders.

The council had hoped to build the park at Jubilee Park, but opposition from 14 residents forced a rethink.

On Monday a report on possible sites for the park, undertaken by Basil Smith, Chris Wain and Neil Ockenden, was presented to the full council - but not before discussions about whether it should be made public or not.

Deputy chairman Faith Thomas proposed, and Jean Fox seconded, a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting.

However Basil Smith said: "It is good to let the public know that we are doing something about it, and I don't think that there is anything in this report that is confidential."

The proposal to keep the report confidential fell through.

Mr Smith, who is chairman of the planning and amenities committee, explained that the report examined 20 possible sites for the proposed park.

Of these, four were earmarked as the most suitable.

They were Mill Chase recreation ground, land between the Jet garage and Whitehill Village Hall, the school playing fields next to the Meadow School and land next to the Forest Community Centre.

Other possibilities had included land in the Deadwater Valley, land on the corner of Heathcote and Forest Road, Alexandra Park and woodland behind Champney Close in Whitehill.

Zoya Faddy pleaded with councillors not to consider the land next to the community centre, as it might be needed at a future date as part of a regeneration of the Forest Shopping Centre area.

"We have always safeguarded that site," she said.

Ian Dowdle made the point that a skatepark next to the community centre might attract "an older generation" who were not interested in skating or BMXing.

Problems with pursuing the land near Whitehill Village Hall were identified by town clerk Linda Tiley. She pointed out that the land had been bought by a developer and it might take a long time to negotiate some kind of agreement,

This left the recreation ground and land next to the special school to be considered.

Councillors expressed their concern what, while the recreation ground was the most popular with the town's youngsters, it would mean sacrificing some of its mini-soccer pitches.

Mrs Tiley said: "There are 16 teams, including four girls' teams, which use the mini soccer pitches, compared to nine teams three years ago. It is getting more popular."

Mr Dowdle said: "I think that we have got to listen to the kids. We know what they prefer from a previous survey when 78 per cent said that they wanted it at the rec, but if they can't get the rec, then over the road (by Meadow School) is most certainly the next best thing.

"We have also got to expect that if we are building a facility then it will be used by kids in Headley, kids in Lindford and kids in our parish.

"If we are going to have kids from all over the area and not just Bordon and Whitehill, then this is pretty central.

"This site is within Headley parish's boundaries so Headley Parish Council may help us fund it."

Mrs Tiley identified another possible piece of land which the town council could pursue, south of the school fields on the other side of the road leading up to the cemetery.

She said that the land on either side of the road leading to the cemetery was owned by Hampshire County Council, although land to the south of it is privately leased.

Councillors agreed to make further inquiries into the possibility of acquiring the school fields next to the Meadow, with the land just south of the fields as its back-up.