MK NEWS report:
Solution to 'unacceptable' noise levels at Broughton Gate skate park agreed
Written by James Averill
A solution to noise problems at Broughton Gate skate park - which will meet the conditions of an abatement notice served by Milton Keynes Council - has been agreed.
Milton Keynes Council served an abatement notice on The Parks Trust after it found that noise levels in Broughton Gate skate park were ‘above acceptable thresholds’, including late at night and early in the morning.
Since then, The Parks Trust has installed a fence and restricted access to the park to between 10am and 7pm. It also proposes to make some modifications to the skate park and to increase the level of planting at the site.
It has also been agreed that a 2.4 metre high fence will be made permanent.
A council spokesman said: “The council agrees that the measures proposed by the Trust will meet the requirements of the abatement notice in ensuring that noise from the skate park no longer represents a Statutory Nuisance.
“The council will ensure the proposals are carried out as agreed and that fencing and other measures are maintained to the proper standard.
“Work has also started to explore options for alternative skate parks and similar facilities in Milton Keynes, which would spread the provision beyond Broughton Gate.”
Phil Bowsher, head of landscape strategy of The Parks Trust, said: “The Development Control Committee of Milton Keynes Council resolved on Thursday October 3 to grant planning permission to The Parks Trust for a permanent 2.4m high security fence to be erected around Broughton Gate Skate Park.
“We are now waiting for the formal planning permission letter from Milton Keynes Council. This is most likely to include conditions on the planning permission that we obtain the Council’s approval on the precise details of the fence and some more landscaping to be done around the skate park. Now we have planning permission for the fence we will work up these final details and agree them with the Council.
“We’re pleased that by working with Milton Keynes Council, Broughton and Milton Keynes Parish Council and the local community we have found a way to mitigate the noise impact from the skate park by limiting the hours of use.
“We would like to thank the local community for their ongoing support and ask that the skate park users continue to respect the restricted opening hours. The Trust hopes, subject to the Council’s approval of the final details, to be able to install the new fence before Christmas.”
'No alternative but to remove' Broughton Gate skatepark
That's according to the chief executive of The Parks Trust, which currently owns the site.
As reported first by MK NEWS, residents' complaints about noise have led to a fight to save the skatepark, which was only opened by Milton Keynes Council in August last year
But now it seems as though the hopes of campaigners, including children who have said they will chain themselves to the park to prevent bulldozers moving in, have been dashed.
David Foster, chief executive of The Parks Trust, said: “The Parks Trust has discussed the future of Broughton Gate skatepark in several meetings with Milton Keynes Council, most recently on Tuesday. Our noise consultant, who we brought in to look at the problem, felt that that there were no practical measures that would guarantee to mitigate noise from the site and the council's position was that The Parks Trust should remove the skateboard park as soon as practically possible.
“Regrettably, it seems that we have no alternative but to remove the skatepark, although the play areas on either side will remain.
"Closing the skatepark is not something The Parks Trust wants to do but we are facing legal action. We have explained this in a letter circulated to local residents.
“We will continue to discuss the provision of an alternative skatepark facility with the council as a matter of urgency and have a number of sites where we would be happy to consider installing a new facility but, of course, this would need planning permission which could take many months to achieve.”
MK NEWS understands the total cost of erecting then demolishing the skatepark will cost in the region of £200,000.
Broughton Gate skatepark could be demolished - less than a year after opening
Broughton Gate skatepark opened in August 2011 but complaints about noise from nearby residents could see it torn down next month.
MK NEWS understands that the total cost for putting up and then demolishing the site could be as much as £200,000.
This has sparked outrage among its young users, who have set up the Facebook campaign Saving Broughton Skate Park.
Since going live on Friday, the page has already received more than 700 ‘likes’, including one from champion BMXer Aaron Ross.
Parents are concerned that if the battle to save the park is lost children will go back to skating near busy roads and on unsafe makeshift ramps.
Daniel Leek, who lives in Eaton Hall, Broughton, just half a mile from the skatepark said: “My nephews are eight and five and this is the only place they can skate in the area. I walk past it every day and I’ve never thought it was noisy, so I can’t understand why people are complaining.”
According to Milton Keynes Council its environmental health team has received a number of complaints about noise at the site.
A spokesman said: “Our tests revealed that the noise generated was indeed above acceptable levels and has therefore caused a statutory nuisance, which must be dealt with.”
Although the skatepark was designed by Milton Keynes Council, on behalf of the Homes and Communities Agency, The Parks Trust took ownership of it in April.
The trust’s chief executive, David Foster, said: “We employed an independent acoustics expert to see if anything could be done to reduce the noise but because of the design there are no practical measures that could be guaranteed to work.
“We are having a final meeting with the council to see if there are any other options we can explore.”
