WHITEHILL Town Council has given its backing to a new skatepark in Bordon.

The facility, set to be built at the corner of Budds Lane and Station Road, could be open as early as the end of July.

Plans for the new skatepark are with East Hampshire District Council and, should they receive the district council’s planning permission, work will commence later this month.

The Whitehill and Bordon Regeneration Company is behind the proposal, with the company’s project lead, James Child, briefing town-council members recently on what features will be included.

Mr Child said the Regeneration Company was also working with Hampshire County Council to find ways of making Budds Lane more pedestrian friendly.

This might include restricting vehicle access to either end of the road to make it safer for people using the skatepark and the influx of children expected when the town’s new secondary school opens in 2019.

The new Mill Chase Academy secondary school, a new primary school and a proposed new youth centre, near the skatepark, are set to make part of Budds Lane a hub for younger people.

Mr Child said the skatepark will be “a visible location” but far back enough from the road to keep skaters safe.

There will be “continuity of provision” because the skatepark will replace the current skatepark in Budds Lane.

Plans for the new skatepark - designed by skatepark-construction specialist Wheelscape in Bristol - were drawn up following consultation with skaters in the town.

Mr Child admitted that he was not a skater himself, but said of the planned skatepark: “It has a lot of the features that people enjoy about skateparks and it is a decent size”.

Councillors wondered if seating could be added to the plans and Mr Child said that would be something for the Regeneration Company and town council to consider together at a later date.

The skatepark is for daytime use and will not have any lighting.

Town councillors unanimously agreed, at a meeting on Monday, March 27, to formally present the management plan to the Regeneration Company so the skatepark can take shape.

Town-council chairman David Cooper said the new facilities were “obviously an improvement” on the town’s existing skatepark.

In its design and access statement, the Regeneration Company said: “The skatepark, at the junction between Budds Lane and Station Road, is an important facility for the local community and a key landmark feature for people travelling to and through the town from the west.

“Furthermore, as the population of the town increases throughout the proposed development, the significance of the site to the local population will increase.

“As a Healthy New Town, Whitehill and Bordon puts great emphasis on providing facilities and services that enable people to live active lifestyles. Local greenspaces that are easily accessed by walking and cycling will play an important role, and the skatepark will be a key destination in meeting the Healthy New Town agenda.

“The Whitehill and Bordon Regeneration Company is providing a new skatepark to replace the existing one, which will be taken down and replaced as part of the new Mill Chase Academy School.

“The proposed skatepark design is a clear improvement on not just the quality of the existing one, but is also proposed to be in a much better location.

“Thanks to the high quality of the proposed skatepark, it will be enjoyed and used by people of all abilities.

“The proposed development offers clear benefits to the community, enhancing the quality of recreational facilities in the town. It is hoped that these proposals will be supported.”