Falmouth skate park design given green light

Plans for the skatepark on Dracanea Playing fields have overwhelming public support a meeting of Falmouth Town Council's planning committee was told when it met at the beginning of March.

Town clerk Mark Williams told councillors that there was very strong support from the community for the proposed skate park on Dracaena Avenue. Outline consent for the park has already been granted with the issue of access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale approved by Cornwall Council yesterday.

A 3D image of the new skate park design. Picture Maverick Industries/Cornwall Council planning register

Maverick Industries submitted a new design for the park in Dracaena Playing Fields on behalf of Falmouth Town Council with the park size reduced and the site moved slightly to the north from a previous design. The town council was originally granted planning permission for the park in 2019.

In its design statement the Poole based company said this is the provision of a facility Falmouth has been lacking since the old skatepark was demolished.

"A vibrant riding community in Cornwall and beyond have been waiting for this for years and the economic benefits this can bring to Falmouth through skate tourism simply cannot be discounted," it said. "It will be a facility Falmouth will be proud to promote and the potential for the physical wellbeing of its potential users is undisputed. We commend the design as a beacon of excellence throughout Cornwall."

It has increased the number of parking spaces in the original application from 11 to 12 plus a disabled bay and the car parking area has been repositioned.

The tarmacadam base that used to house the old skatepark is due to be removed and returned to grass.