PLANS for an improved £300,000 skatepark in Petersfield have been formally submitted to East Hampshire District Council. It means the end is in sight for a project that has been given a major push by the Festival for Young People (FFYP), which has dedicated a lot of time and energy to it. FFYP spokesman Nigel Wells said: "It's one of the final steps. Unless there is a major problem, we could hope to start by the beginning of next May." The skatepark is based at the recreation ground at Love Lane, next to the Petersfield Town Football Club ground. Responsibility for construction is being passed over to the town council, but FFYP still has a part to play in the fundraising push. Having pledged to raise £10,000 towards the project the FFYP still hopes to raise a further £7,000 to help reach that total. Mr Wells said youngsters would be more motivated to put in the effort to do something to raise money for the project now that they can see something is happening. A sponsored family walk from Midhurst to Buriton along the South Downs is being organised as one such way to raise some of the cash. The event, on Sunday, May 18, starts at 10am from the top of Cocking Hill, three miles south of Midhurst. In a letter to parents, being distributed around schools, Mr Wells said: "We would be grateful if you would encourage your son or daughter to get out on the South Downs and sponsor each of them for £10. Better still would be if you walk as a family with either mum and/or dad and with/without grandparents. In this case, we would ask the whole family to walk for just £10. "The aim is to make this a family day out, and while you will need to take some light refreshments with you, you could end up at The Master Robert in Buriton for lunch." Mr Wells hoped the skatepark project would gain momentum, with the appointment of a structural engineer. He said they planned to be in a position to go out to tender by the end of the summer holidays, with architects drawings completed by then. He added: "By the end of November we could have the bids in and then see how quickly it will be sorted out." With the site already used as a skatepark, Mr Wells said he could not see any problems with the planning application going through. The cost of up to £300,000 for the project was based on figures on estimates £200 per square metre for the building of the actual park, which is 960 square metres in total. The fence around the skatepark has also been up for discussion. Mr Wells said: "There is an issue because of the vandalism, but that is not to say it was the young skaters who were responsible." Money towards the project so far has come from Hampshire County Council, which gave a £5,000 grant; Petersfield Town Council had earmarked £50,000 for the project; an application for £15,000 has gone to East Hampshire District Council for its community initiative funds; and a bid was set to be put in by the town council for lottery funds. But at a town council grounds meeting last week, councillors were wary that waiting for a lottery grant could slow down the application. Town clerk Neil Hitch said: "This area is not overly successful in obtaining grants from the big lottery." Councillors said that no consultation should take place until the planning decision had been made in May.