After more than a year, we now gather that consultants have reported to the council’s Area Board that there are "significant constraints" with the Monkton Park site that has been chosen for a skate park.

The fact that these colossal problems and the insensitivity of siting a skatepark in the park have finally dawned are indicated by the fact that it has taken more than two years before a planning application was even ready to be submitted.

As predicted there are big problems with drainage and flooding, and there is likely to have to be a huge 4m high wall around the skate facility to be able to meet the guarantee from the council that there would be no increase in ambient noise level.

Where too, is funding in these cash strapped days to come from with cost estimates made over two years ago of £300,000+??

The councillors, notably Chris Caswill, specifically and frequently drew to these issues to the attention of those who chose the skate park location. All were ignored - indeed rubbished- by Chippenham councillors in their rush to dump the skate park in Monkton Park.

We know that the recommendation to use the park came from clumsy discussions behind closed doors, and that the councillors who approved this location did so without giving proper attention to alternative sites. It should be clear by now that this decision was a mistake. If an alternative location had been chosen, Chippenham would very likely have a skate park by now. But of course those who made the decision will not admit they made a mistake but plough on with their own expensive and disastrous scheme.

JOHN LEWIN Sadlers Mead, Chippenham