Issued: Tuesday 12 September 2023

The difficult decision on which of the two Totnes Borough Park sites the skatepark will be placed at will be decided once residents have had a final say in a conclusive consultation.

South Hams District Council have been working with local partners, residents and the skating community for several years to move past a stalemate on the whereabouts of the exciting, proposed development.

The Council understand the clear need and demand for a modern,

fit-for-purpose facility for the skating community in Totnes and want to reach a decision on the proposed location so that they can work with the community to find the remaining funding required to deliver the new skatepark.

Two Borough Park sites remain the proposed locations for a skatepark within this key and central recreational site for the town. There are currently no other identified practical locations for a skatepark within Totnes. Even within Borough Park, the Council are working within many restrictions such as noise, trees, and competing and conflicting objectives for the same space.

South Hams District Council’s, Executive Member for Open Spaces, Cllr Victor Abbott, said: “We encourage residents, users of Borough Park and of course skatepark users to have their say in this consultation to inform our final decision. We can then move forward with the skating community with the exciting plans for the design and continued fundraising for the new skatepark.

“So, if you do have an opinion about why one of the two proposed locations is better than the other, please do respond.”

The consultation is now open until Thursday 12 October. Find it at totnes-skatepark.commonplace.is or via the Council’s social media.

The creation of Kingsbridge’s brand new skatepark will start on Monday 18 September.

South Hams District Council, Kingsbridge Skatepark Community Group and Kingsbridge Town Council are delighted to confirm the good news.

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Kingsbridge residents earlier this year, a Crowdfunder scheme raising money for the new park raised more than £38,000 in just a couple of months.

Sport England offered funding of £100,000 after the massive level of local support caught their attention.

This funding boost from Sport England has been a huge boost for the project, meaning the build can begin – and it is likely to be completed before the end of this year. This puts the project well ahead of the first target of spring next year, which was already an ambitious date.

Further funding has been provided by Kingsbridge Town Council (£50,000) South Hams District Council (£30,000) along with Section 106 Developer’s Funding (£25,000), The Gibbons Trust (£5,000) and The Norman Family Trust (£5,000).

Philip Cole, Chairman of Kingsbridge Town Council said: “A new skatepark for the town has been our primary objective, with the support of large swathes of the local community.

“We reflected this with our contribution of £50,000 towards this project. Kingsbridge has a chequered history of skateboarding in the town, and we are delighted that finally the young people of Kingsbridge will get the skatepark they have long deserved.”

Cllr Victor Abbott, South Hams Executive Member for Community Services and Leisure, said: “We have been impressed with the level of support shown by the local community, and in particular Adam Sherring of the Kingsbridge Skatepark Community Group, who has done his town proud.

“The need for this facility is clear and has been shown in the fantastic support and generosity of the community. The contribution from Sport England has been the icing on the cake and we are thrilled that this has meant we can deliver the new skatepark in good time.”

Adam Sherring, of the Kingsbridge Skatepark Community Group, said: “The success of this project is down to the amazing support it’s had from our residents, businesses and local councils.

“It’s no mean feat raising that level of money, especially so during a cost of living crisis, but it goes to show how much we all value the physical and mental health of our community. Kingsbridge will now have a wheeled sports facility they can be proud of!”

Some residents have raised concerns about the suggested loss of nine trees above the skatepark site in the first landscaping scheme, which was intended to reduce branches, leaves and debris falling from the trees overhanging the skatepark area.

Following a review prompted by the Leader of the Council, officers, partners and District Councillors have reached a compromise; of the nine trees first suggested for removal, four will be kept (three elm trees and an oak). A method of pruning called ‘pollarding’ will now be used as a means of caring for the elms in a sustainable way.

The District Council has promised the five trees being removed will be replaced with at least 22 large trees. They will all be planted in locations near the skatepark this winter. This includes on the bank above the skatepark, which will adding to the quayside Kingsbridge Tree Trail and the green spaces, south of the leisure centre.

Cllr Abbott added: “While we appreciate that the loss of any trees will still be of concern to some, we hope that it shows that we have listened and reduced tree loss as far as possible. At the same time, we are delivering a facility that will have a huge positive impact on young people in Kingsbridge and beyond.”

The community has also made suggestions on how to make proposed additional planting under the new trees appear more natural on the nearby bank. These recommendations will guide District Council staff on what planting takes place.

Kingsbridge Skatepark Community Group have also been developing ideas for additional planting with Tash and Barney Green of Heron Valley, and with Gary Jolliffe at Force4Nature, more details about further planting schemes will be made available once they are agreed.

The skatepark scheme was also redesigned to make sure it would not impact on the public right of way behind the skatepark site.

The construction of the project will be carried out by Wheelscape, an experienced skatepark construction design and build company. They have been working with the skating community over the past year to design a skatepark that the local community really wants.Wheelscape are working closely with the District Council to keep disruption to a minimum on the Quayside car park and slipway access.

Elliot Hamilton, project manager at Wheelscape said: “We are beyond excited to be delivering this skatepark for Kingsbridge.

“Through continued collaboration and numerous design revisions, we have helped the community realise their vision for a welcoming facility; one that will attract beginners but also challenge experienced skaters and riders.

“The new skatepark is a vital resource for the young people of Kingsbridge as they look to build a shared commitment to healthy activity. It’s also a unique attraction for visitors to the town.

“The efforts of everyone involved have been tireless and show what can be achieved by pulling together. We’re proud to be a part of this and hope it serves as a blueprint for future projects in the area.”

South Hams District Council is supporting the work of Sustainable South Hams (SusSH) in fighting climate and nature change across the district.

SusSH was formed last year to connect, support and inspire sustainability projects across the South Hams. The organisation shares vital knowledge with parishes and community groups to support on the ground climate action projects, so that meaningful and positive change happens faster.

Among SusSH’s biggest achievements so far is their Rivers Assembly. They invited community group leaders and organisation representatives together to share knowledge and ideas on how to protect our rivers, with two action groups set up to look at protecting the River Erme and the River Avon.

SusSH has also organised a scrutiny group of volunteers with legal, engineering and data analysis experience to work with South West Water and the Environment Agency to look at overspills and how to protect the district’s rivers and waterways.

Jane Nichols, CEO of Sustainable South Hams, said: “Action on climate change has to be a case of working both top down and bottom up. We have to do our bit, as communities and individuals, and we need government to do their bit too. We’re all part of the system and part of the solution.

“The funding we’ve received from the Council has been vital in us carrying out our work locally – we just wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without it.

“We’ve got a network of 42 sustainability groups now across the South Hams. Each one of those people connected, knows people. If we can create and share knowledge through that network, we’re reaching thousands of people and our impact can be profound.”

In June, the Council Executive pledged the organisation £40,000 of funding to help it continue its work on protecting the South Hams’ biodiversity and fighting climate change.

We’re also building even stronger ties between the Council and SusSH through our new Climate Change and Biodiversity Advisory Group, which will use specialist and expert knowledge to support the Council and wider community's climate ambitions. Its core aim will be helping develop district-wide projects that have an influence on lowering carbon emissions.

Cllr John McKay, South Hams Executive Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity, said: “Sustainable South Hams have only been around for around 12 months, but since funding them last year, they’ve done extraordinary things in terms of bringing small groups together and disseminating knowledge between them.

“They created a dynamic across the district that’s very important. I want to see the Council tap into that energy and the clear gift that they have for organisation. That will help us achieve our climate change goals.”