After two years of negotiations with planners and grant-giving organisations, a group of young skateboarders have drawn up plans for a massive complex involving ramps, cafe, skateboard clothing outlet and shop. The plans are now awaiting outline planning consent by Bradford council.

The plans - put together by Leeds-based architect Eddy Walker - came about after detached youth workers Paul McHugh and Carole Bywater, who work for Bradford council's youth service, hunted down the boarders and bladers - bladers skate on two long blades as opposed to a board - in a supermarket car park to ask them what they wanted in terms of facilities in the town.

Meetings were then set up to find out the needs of the skaters, the outcome of which was a large open space where they could skate to their heart's desire.

A committee was established comprised of ten boarders and ten bladers and during the past two years the committee has held open days, visited other skateboarding parks throughout the country and been awarded a £100,000 grant from the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) to be put towards such a park in Keighley.

The committee intends the new park - the location of which cannot yet be revealed - to be for young people, run by young people.

It has also looked at various other buildings in the town in an attempt to track down the most suitable spot. To help with this, a company was formed - Urban Zoo Ltd - along with other voluntary organisations. Urban Zoo is run entirely by the skaters.

Boarder Dave Johnstone, 25, of Beechcliffe, Keighley, says: "It's going to be a youth enterprise zone and the only thing that's holding us up at the moment is getting outline planning permission. This will get young people off the streets and get them doing something positive and creative. It will be a testament to the young people who have fought for two years to get this park built and would be the best Christmas present we could ask for."

Future ideas for the complex include setting up training sessions and graffiti workshops.

Urban Zoo thanks the SRB for its continued support.

Anyone wanting more information should contact the Youth Area Service office, Alice Street, Keighley, on 01535 618189.

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