CAMPAIGNERS are moving forward with revised plans to bring a skate park to Beaminster - but up to £150,000 could be needed to complete the project.

The Beaminster Activities Area Development team (BAAD) hopes to now build the facility close to the pavilion at Memorial Fields. But the BAAD team need to raise between £100,000 to £150,000 in order to go ahead with the plans.

Speaking at the Beaminster annual parish meeting, Cllr Terry Beswarick, BAAD project chairman, said: "The council carried out a survey of everyone in the town.

"We wanted to know what people wanted to have done in the town. One of the main improvements was a skate park. We had about 750 replies.

"The obvious place to put the skate park is in the existing play park in Memorial Fields. The initial position of the skate park was close to the houses. We have decided that we move it away from there and we put it on the area near the pavilion."

Cllr Beswarick said the sound from the skatepark would be contained within the shape of the facility, as a concrete bowl can be sunk into the ground which would "deflect the sound away from the houses".

"The sound will be contained within the shape of the skate park," he said. "The next part of the project is the money.

"We estimate it will be somewhere in the order of £100,000 to £150,000. We will have improved equipment, a climbing wall, zip wire and covered seating.

"It is entirely dependent on raising necessary funds so I would advise you not to hold your breathe."

Local resident Michael Dower spoke out about the plans, pointing out the "irony" of Beaminster Town Council potentially funding a new project when both the town's swimming pool and youth centre are under threat of permanent closure.

Cllr Chris Turner, chairman of the town council, said: "The skate park has been on the cards for nine years.

"Whenever you see skate parks established, they are being used. The youngsters in this community are just as valuable and we have to take that seriously.

"This youth club issue has been thrown on us in the last few months. A lot of work has gone into that project already. There is an awful lot that needs to go on there, too. Hopefully we can get grant funding her, there and wherever."