A PROJECT to create an exciting new facility for young people in Tavistock moved a step closer this week.

BMX group Tavi Riders has submitted a proposal to construct a jump track on the old putting green in the Meadows, which is owned by the town council.

Members of the properties committee this week heard that construction of the track would not cost the town anything, as funding — estimated at some £30,000 — was being raised by Tavi Riders.

The design of the track was intended to have minimal impact on road users and other users of the park. A fence would be erected between the track and the bowling green and the jumps would be situated well inside the fence.

Wayne Southall, town works superintendent, said the proposal allowed for soft landscaping and the inclusion of some 20 new trees and hedging plants in the park.

The earth jumps in the track would have grassed sides — noise from riding the jumps was said to be 'virtually nil'.

Mr Southall said: 'If the group did disband at some point in the future, the site could be back to normality within a week. The majority of the actual design is certainly not irreversible, and they have taken into account the issues with regard to other users in the area.

'Absolutely nothing has to be taken away from the area and the design actually increases planting there — I seriously can't see any adverse effects.'

Deputy mayor Cllr David Whitcomb said: 'The youngsters have done a great job. I am not against the principle, I just really don't think it's in the right place, at the entrance to our town.

'The electorate are not going to like this — the town council gets knocked quite a lot and I just feel this is the wrong place.'

And Cllr Susan Bailey said: 'I am concerned about who is going to monitor this. I've been down in the park when children are messing around. There was a shelter almost opposite the bowling green and I've been there when there were youngsters knocking hell out of it — when I asked them what they were doing, they thought it was a huge joke.

'This is an open space — I don't like the idea.'

But Cllr Ted Sherrell thought the area was 'perfect' for a BMX track and looked forward to seeing it put to good community use: 'It's been grievously under-used for a very long time. If we said we weren't going to do it because it would be vandalised, in the end, we allow those who would destroy to triumph over those who would create.

'You have to be positive. When young people create something like this, they tend to be very zealous over their own creation.'

Cllr Debo Sellis said Tavi Riders were to be congratulated for their hard work and research.

She felt by taking such an active role in creating the park, they would be encouraged to look after it and said the council was 'duty-bound' to help them towards their goal.

Mayor Cllr Mandy Govier said she 'fully supported' a youth-inspired project for an unused piece of land in a community area, that would cost the council nothing, increase its plant stock and which could be removed at any time in the future with minimal disruption.

The committee was told that vandalism in the Meadows had decreased substantially in the last 12 months, and the partnership between the council and the neighbourhood policing team was working well. Use of the proposed BMX track would be restricted to daylight hours, as no lighting was to be installed in the area.

The committee agreed by five votes to three in favour of the BMX scheme in the Meadows — the full council will have to ratify this decision at its meeting next Tuesday.

Vicky Lloyd, of Tavistock Youth Café, who is supporting Tavi Riders, said the committee's support was 'absolutely amazing'.

'It's really nice to see the councillors backing us,' she said.

Vicky said the group had applied for a £50,000 grant from the Youth Capital Fund in addition to doing its own fundraising — an application which seemed to be progressing well.

'We are keeping everything crossed for next week, and for the grant. We have tried to cover every aspect to make sure everyone is happy — we're all feeling really positive,' she said.