SKATERS in Pershore have been assured the wheels are in motion to build a skating area on Abbey Park.

More than half of the £33,000 needed for the project could soon be made available from money given to Wychavon District Council by the developers of Cherry Orchard House.

Before permission was granted to double the size of the retirement home, a "green space development" payment was agreed to offset the impact of the development.

Town and district councillor John Grantham said as the money could not be usefully spent in the immediate vicinity of the retirement home it would be used for a skate park.

"We can now tell the skateboarders 'yes, something is happening'. We have still got a lot of hoops to go through - but we have made a start and the ball is rolling."

Provisionally, the new facility will be sited on Abbey Park, between the bowling club and Abbey Road. It will be at least 75 metres from the nearest homes and will be made of concrete - which causes less vibration noise than other materials.

Coun Val Wood said skaters in the town had pledged to support the scheme and stop skating in public areas when the park was complete.

"All the bits are coming together and everybody is pulling their weight and being very positive," she said.

Wychavon youth and sports development officer Jem Teal said funding had always been a major problem with plans for a skate park in the town.

"If money is made available it will be a big step in the right direction," he said.

"But there would still be many hurdles to cross and it is still early days."

The proposal to earmark the green space development money for to the skate park project is expected to go before the council's executive board next Tuesday.