THE siting of a skate park at Portishead Lake Grounds has officially received the backing of Portishead Town Council.

Residents turned out in their droves to the council open meeting on April 13, to urge councillors to throw their weight behind the project to install a skate and BMX facility on land between the Lakeside Cafe and boathouse near to the seafront.

Portishead Skatepark Project (PSP) already has planning permission for a skate park at the Lake Grounds but now needs to acquire a lease for the area of land from North Somerset Council.

Teenagers and parents spoke at the meeting calling for councillors to declare their support for the project, after more than four years searching for a suitable site.

BMX rider Dan Richardson aged 15 said he had been travelling out of town to take part in BMX activities for four years and felt the teenagers’ views and needs were not being taken into account in Portishead.

North Somerset Youth Parliament representative Peter Davis also spoke in favour of a skate park at the Lake Grounds.

After much deliberation, councillors voted 10-4 in favour of supporting PSP’s negotiations with North Somerset Council in order to obtain a lease.