Portishead skatepark saga rumbles on

COUNCILLORS who have been looking for a suitable site for a new skate park in Portishead say they have found the perfect alternative - at Gordano School.

But despite an alternative site being offered at the school, skatepark leaders say they still want to pursue putting the facility at the Lake Grounds, despite plans being rejected by North Somerset Council planners.

Since plans to site a skate park on land at the Lake Grounds were rejected by councillors at North Somerset Council in February, the search has been on to find alternative sites.

 

Earlier this year Portishead Skatepark Project met with council chiefs to discuss a number of possible sites in the town which could be suitable for a new skating and BMX facility.

 

Since then David Pasley, who is a town and district councillor in Portishead, and Cllr Felicity Baker, who is the executive member for Leisure and Tourism at North Somerset Council, have been pursuing one of those options – a piece of unused land at Gordano School.

 

They initially approached head teacher Graham Silverthorne, and after a successful meeting last week with school governors and some pupils, the school has agreed to support the proposal.

 

North Somerset Council’s north area planning committee threw out ambitious plans for a £200,000 skate park in Portishead after claiming the Lake Grounds - often described as the jewel in Portishead’s crown - was the wrong location for the skate park. They said a skate park would lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour at the beauty spot which was already a night-time haunt for teenage drinkers. Cllr Pasley said: “I have always supported the idea of a skate park just not at the Lake Grounds. When we realised the skate park could no longer be considered there, we started looking at alternative potential sites, of which there were around 11 or 12. One of those options was a piece of land at Gordano School, which isn’t used.

 

“It is near to the astro turf and surplus to requirements and as a lot of the main users are pupils at the school it seems a good place for the skate park. We had a huge meeting last week with school governors and some pupils and they all said that they would support it.

 

“There of course would be issues that would have to be looked at and discussed, such as fencing, and it would need planning permission, but as it is council land, we have already consulted officers and it seems like a good alternative, provided the necessary funding can be found.”

 

Cllr Pasley, who is also chairman of North Area planning committee, now intends to set up a working party through North Somerset Council to further the idea, which governors, pupils and anyone interested can get involved with.

Portishead Skatepark Project has been looking for a site for a new park in the town for three years and had hoped to site the new skate and BMX park on an area of land behind the children’s play area between the Lakeside Cafe and the boathouse. The group was hugely disappointed when the plans were rejected.

 

A spokesman for Portishead Skatepark Project said: “We fully welcome both the efforts of councillors and the decision of Gordano School to offer a part of it's land for youth and community facilities. However, the Lake Grounds site more thoroughly meets both social and safety criteria, including ROSPA and British Standards, therefore it would be short-sighted not to pursue the Lake Grounds as our first and best site.

“We are currently in the process of appealing the planning decision against the Lake Grounds and feel it appropriate to await that decision before considering alternative sites."

* Should the skatepark group go ahead with the Gordano School site. Sounds ideal to me - central, available and has the backing of the council.

Even if the skatepark group wins its appeal, it is still unlikely to be able to secure the permission of the landlord - North Somerset Council - to put the skatepark at the Lake Grounds. Should the skatepark committee continue with their drive for the lake grounds or welcome the offer of a site at Gordano School.

Surely if they took the school site it would mean that the skatepark could become a reality sooner?

If they wait for the outcome of the appeal and then have to get landlord's consent, this saga could continue to rumble on for several more months.