Basildon Council plans for £200k skatepark

Conservative councillor Kevin Wingfield said the skatepark would be "a great benefit to our local kids"

A council said it was considering spending £200,000 on a new skatepark as there was an increased interest in the sport locally.

Basildon Council's preferred location is Victoria Park in Laindon, Essex, which is "currently underutilised".

Conservative councillor Kevin Wingfield said the skatepark would be "a great benefit to our local kids".

He said Team GB's skateboarding success at the Tokyo Olympics had led to more people wanting to take up the sport.

Last year, the council spent £500,000 refurbishing two skateparks in Lake Meadows and Northlands Park in Basildon, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A meeting of the council's leisure and environment committee heard the budget for the park would vary depending on location and size, but was estimated to be about £200,000.

There was also about £40,000 available from property developer contributions, the meeting heard.

Mr Wingfield said: "It's a great benefit to our local kids who will have a greater opportunity to get out, get active on their own doorstep, not having to travel across town to anywhere else for their youth services, and it will come at no cost to them."

The plans for the skatepark will now go out for public consultation.