PLANS for a long awaited skate park in Lyme Regis have been approved by councillors.

West Dorset District Council’s development control committee considered an application for the wheeled sports park and associated landscaping in the north east corner of Charmouth Road car park.

The area had recently been used as a compound for the coast protection works in the area that have now finished and has been reverted to use as part of the car park.

The application proposed a wheeled sports park with ramps, bands, steps and rails.

A report considered by the committee stated that the skate park would be enclosed with galvanised steel fencing as well as an acoustic barrier to the south and west of the site.

The committee was told that plans for a skate park in Lyme Regis date back more than 40 years and the current scheme had the backing of Lyme Regis Town Council and the community.

They also heard comments that had been collected from young people in the town who said they were ‘desperate’ for a permanent skate park.

Lucy Campbell from Lyme Regis Town Council said: “We have spent a long time looking for a suitable site which meets the needs of skate park users but also co-exists alongside the needs of neighbouring properties.

“The chosen site is the best and only site on which a skate park can be built.”

She added: “For our town this is a once in a generation opportunity.”

Local district councillor George Symonds did raise concerns about the isolation of the site and the safety as a result.

Cllr John Russell also raised concerns about the safety of youngsters accessing the site through the busy car park.

However, there was support for the scheme from other members of the committee, with those from Dorchester citing the beneficial impact of the skate park in their town.

Cllr Robin Potter said: “I’m horrified that it’s taken so long for this to come to fruition.

“The sooner we get on with it the better.”

Cllr Dominic Elliott added: “I’m absolutely 100 per cent behind this.”

The committee voted to approve the application.