PERSIMMON Homes has been accused of "bribery" over an offer to develop a skateboard park and drain land for a play area at Reeds Farm, Malmesbury, as part of a development of five houses overlooking Morse Close.

Parents and youngsters packed a meeting of the town council's planning committee on Tuesday to lobby for the skatepark and play area.

Mayor John Bowen said the skateboard park and play area should never have been part of the application in the first place.

The council agreed to forward objections about the proposal, saying it lacked detail, to North Wiltshire District Council.

Coun Bowen said: "We have said we will support the skaters and riders. We are totally supportive of the young people who want sporting facilities."

Coun Patrick Goldstone said Persimmon were blackmailing the town council by offering the amenities as part of the application.

"It would be appreciated if they were to say they will do the drainage without the development, or go ahead with a new skateboard park, without the development," said Coun Goldstone.

"This is not a planning gain, it's what we would have called in older days, bribery."

The Malmesbury Skaters and Riders Action Group has collected 230 signatures in ten days for a petition supporting the skateboard park.

"I have spoken to a lot of people who care a great deal about the youth in our town and I see this as our only chance," said chairman Sue Alexander, 46, of Tetbury Hill.

Heather Gibson, the secretary of Action for Children in Reeds Farm, said she supported the application because she felt it was the only way to get a play area on the estate.

"The stumbling block is over drainage because the district council will not take the site on without drainage having been completed.

"That will cost between £20-£30,000," said Mrs Gibson.

It could also cost a similar amount to buy equipment.