Plans to build a world-class skatepark in Falmouth have been approved.

Alex Brinnen, chair of the Falmouth Skatepark Committee, said: "I'm pretty stoked. We had a good feeling that we were getting there with it, so it wasn't out of the blue by any means, but it's amazing to have the plans approved.

"We have been trying to do this for so long."

Outline permission has been granted to build in Dracaena Playing Fields, and the committee is aiming to raise enough money to complete the park in time for the 2020 Olympic Games, in which skateboarding will feature for the first time.

The idea was thought up by a 15-year-old named Mike Cartlidge 10 years ago. Mike convinced a group of fellow skaters to come along to a town council meeting and pitch the idea to councillors.

Alex, who co-founded Faltown Skateboards, soon took over the project.

He says that the process has taken so long because the committee wanted to make sure the new skatepark was going to be much bigger than the old one, which was removed in December 2014.

But for that to happen, they needed planning permission.

In full support of the project, Falmouth Town Council managed to transfer the land from Cornwall Council so that it could be managed locally.

Alex said: "Mark Williams [Falmouth town clerk] has been really helpful."

Current plans are for the skatepark to be 70 by 40 metres in size, with a range of concrete pipes and ledges.

Alex said: "We, as a community, have really gone over the design with a fine tooth comb. Sizes, angles and Pythagorus' theorem."

The planning process has faced obstacles along the way, with government body Sport England objecting to the idea in October of last year.

After being granted planning permission, the next step for the committee is to secure the £450,000 or so needed to build the park.

Once the money is raised, Alex estimates that it will take around six months to build.

Since the plans were first thought up, Falmouth Skatepark Committee have held various fundraising events to get the money together.

Falmouth Town Council have also pledged £100,000 towards the skatepark.

Alex says that current plans have been drawn up to meet skateboard company Vans' competition criteria and that the committee, along with Newquay's Concrete Waves and Mount Hawke skateparks, have been in talks to bring major competitions to the town.

He said: "When this is built, it's going to change the game."