PORTISHEAD Town Council has voted against the building of a skate park at the Lake Grounds.

Members of the public packed a town council open meeting, with many people speaking for and against having a skate park at the Lake Grounds.

The town council voted in favour of the seafront site in 2009 but was recently asked by North Somerset Council to confirm its current view. When put to the vote on February 13, only two councillors, Jean Lord and Ros Cruse, voted in favour of a skate park at the beauty spot.

The move comes as a blow to members of Portishead Skatepark Project (PSP), who have been searching for a suitable site for a free, outdoor skate park in Portishead for more than seven years.

Supporters of a skate park at the Lake Grounds say they will not give up. A petition appealing to North Somerset Council to grant landlord’s consent for the site has gathered almost 200 signatures. It can be found by visiting www.change.org and searching Portishead skatepark.

Meanwhile members of PSP say they are willing to look at any other sites for a skate park in the town but they feel all possible avenues have already been explored and no alternative has proved suitable.