A COMMUNITY group campaigning for a skateboard park in their village are to lodge an appeal after their application was turned down by planners.

Dartmoor National Park Authority rejected the proposed skatepark in Horrabridge after a flood of objections from nearby residents worried about noise pollution, litter and vandalism.

The DNPA's planning committee stated that the siting of the facility at Fillace Park would be visually intrusive and have a detrimental impact on people living in Church Park.

And the Environment Agency objected to the proposal, claiming it would increase the risk of flooding in the area.

But the Horrabridge Recreational Field Trust is to appeal against the decision by submitting a revised application.

Parish councillor David Cloke, a member of the trust, believed the new plans stood a better chance of being approved.

He said: 'One problem before was the fact that the Environment Agency said the park would be detrimental to the flood plain.

'We've got fresh evidence that it's not actually on the flood plain, and we will re-apply with the updated information.

'We will also be submitting pictures of updated plans to improve the sound proofing element of the construction.'

Mr Cloke said the appeal would also contain a list of all the authorities and organisations that had donated money to the scheme.

'We think if the residents were more aware of the backing this scheme has got, and the measures we've taken to minimalise the noise and visual impact, they would be more positive about it.

'We have had grants from Sport England, West Devon Borough Council and the police authority, to name but three. For these people to make donations, they must think it's a good project.'

He said committee members were very disappointed by the rejection of their application.

'It's a shame because a lot of people have been involved in getting the application to the stage it's at,' he said.

'The youngsters themselves organised a rock concert to raise money, and had T-shirts and hats printed to sell. They also did a "bob-a-job" week which paid for the costs of submitting the original application.'

Horrabridge Recreational Field Trust was set up about two years ago and has raised more than £7,500 to pay for the skatepark.

Their application, submitted in September, was for a concrete base measuring 20mx10m with two ramps, surrounded by fencing on three sides and a bank on the other.