A PLAYGROUND in Malmesbury may be sold to pay for new play facilities and a skatepark elsewhere in the town.

Coun John Thomson has proposed that the playground beside the outdoor swimming pool, in Newnton Grove, is sold.

The money raised, he said, could pay for a new playground at Reeds Farm, a new playground on the recreation ground off White Lion Park, the refurbishment of the Saint Aldhelm Mead recreation ground and the long-awaited skateboard park.

Coun Thomson put forward the plan to a meeting of North Wiltshire District Council last week.

"It is time that Malmesbury had these issues addressed," he said. "Many promises have been made but few delivered."

He told the meeting the issue went back to 1987 when 257 houses were built at Reeds Farm. The developers provided a playground, but it fell into disrepair and was removed in 1996.

But a survey revealed 90 per cent of the residents wanted a replacement playground, and they set up the Action Group for Children.

Coun Thomson said the issue needed to be dealt with. He said: "There is a way forward. Someone has to come up with an alternative solution."

He said the playground near the open air pool, which is owned by the district council and run by Malmesbury Town Council, was very popular but it had a high financial value.

The outdoor pool will be sold when the new pool opens, and the playground could be sold with it.

"The money should be for providing facilities for the youth of Malmesbury," said Coun Thomson.

He proposed the town council should be responsible for looking after the new facilities, using funds earmarked for their maintenance and replacement.

Now he wants a public consultation to find out what residents think of the idea including the town council, the Skaters and Riders Group and Action for Children in Reeds Farm.

But resident John Kadwell opposed the plan. After the meeting he said: "I definitely do not support this. It is very well used. It is the most successful playground in Malmesbury."

Ann-Marie Picter, of Newnton Grove, said she takes her seven-year-old daughter Josie-Marie to the playground whenever the weather is fine.

But she believed the scheme would be a good idea if it meant the creation of a new playground at the nearby White Lion Park.

"I would be quite upset to lose the playground, but it is not too far to the other one, and we already use it," she said.

Mayor of Malmesbury John Bowen said he could not comment on behalf of the town council because it had not yet seen the proposals. But personally, he said it would be sad for the town to lose one of its playgrounds but he understood the district's financial position.

"We do need a new scheme for Reeds Farm, and if the playground could be made better at White Lion Park, it is only 200 yards away," he said.

"If there is a huge planning gain then I would personally support this."

He said the position of the Newnton Grove playground was not ideal, because a road ran alongside it.

Coun Thomson's motion was forwarded to the executive committee for further consideration.

Meanwhile, youth worker Hayley Brown has suggested a temporary solution that would give Malmesbury's beleaguered skateboarders somewhere to enjoy their hobby.

She is preparing a proposal to buy and store moveable skate ramps in a secure container at the town's Cartmell Centre, so that a skate park can be set up in the carpark there.

She says that currently the youngsters are getting into trouble by skating in other areas, such as Somerfield carpark. "My concern is that I'm getting young people coming in more and more saying that they are having run-ins with the police," said Ms Brown. "We are going to criminalize young people for pursuing a hobby."

Ms Brown will present the proposal to her superiors at Wiltshire County Council. If it gets the go ahead, she hopes a skate park could be up and running by the summer.

Carnival committee funds amounting to £2,000 have already been set aside for a skate park in the town. But with no permanent site available, the skaters could lose this donation if it is not spent by next year.

Ms Brown hopes the cash can be used to fund the project. The skaters will also be applying to the district council's area committee for a further £2,000.

The container is likely to cost between £600 and £1,000, leaving the rest of the money to pay for equipment, which will be bought from a professional skating equipment manufacturer.

The scheme will be modelled on one in Pewsey. "I took some of them down there and they had a go and they really liked it," said Ms Brown. "It's about young people taking responsibility."

The club will be supervised by the members, who would be responsible for making sure the equipment is taken care of and only those who have signed up to the club are using it.