Long awaited skate park approved

Work on the Laighills park will start later this year

Skateboarders in Central Scotland are celebrating after clearing their final hurdle in getting a skate park.

The plan for the new park at Laighills in Dunblane, the culmination of 10 years' work, has been approved by Stirling councillors.

A total of £148,000 was raised to pay for the park, with more than £8,000 brought in by young people.

Work will begin in the first week of September and the new skate park should be complete by the end of November.

Bryan Grieve, chairman of the Dunblane Development Trust, said the move was fantastic news for the young people of Dunblane.

Controversial location

"It's great to be able to get the project off the ground now," he said.

Laighills was one of three proposed sites for the skate park in Dunblane.

One of the others, at Millrow car park, proved controversial because of its town centre location, attracting objections from local residents.

However the Dunblane Skate Park Group welcomed the park being given the green light at Laighills.

Stirling Council development control convener Charlie McKean said: "This has been a real community-led project that everyone can be rightly proud of, especially the young skaters who have worked so hard over many years to raise the money needed for the new park."