A PROJECT to build a £110,000 skateboard park in Trowbridge has moved one step closer to reality.

Town councillors voted on Tuesday to apply for planning permission for the facility at Stallards Park, despite protests from some local residents who fear increased noise levels and escalating crime.

Mayor Grace Hill said: "There are one or two people around who are not happy but I think there will be people who are unhappy wherever we put it."

Protests from people living in Linden Place and Innox Road forced the council to evaluate a list of alternative sites. Sports and community development officer Steve Nash looked at five other places in the town including Elm Grove, the town park and three playing fields.

Councillors decided Stallards was the best location, but now want to put the skate facility at the top of the park, further away from residents' homes than was originally suggested.

Mr Nash said: "Young people have asked for it. We did three consultations and this is where they want it."

Three of the other options at Elm Grove and the playing fields at Grove and Seymour were considered to be too far out of the town centre, while there are other facilities for youngsters at Lambrok.

The bottom end of the town park was seen as too secluded to be a safe place for a facility to be used by youngsters in the evenings.

Town clerk Doug Ross said: "One of the great advantages of the Stallards is that it is overlooked by some people and by cars passing by as well as CCTV cameras. To put it at the bottom of the town park is too out of the way."

There is already a skateboard ramp in the Stallards, but the new park would include a state-of-the-art sunken ramp.

It will be made of concrete and this, along with sinking it into the ground, should mean there is less noise than the current ramp produces. It will also make it more usable.

Mr Nash said: "The current ramp is practically unusable in winter it is wet and slippery.

"We want to build something that is safer and can be used all year round."

Councillors hope to improve play facilities for younger children in the Stallards as part of the revamp.