NEW safety fears have been raised over a "recreational paradise" for youngsters on the edge of Eastleigh.

Called Project Freespace, the scheme to provide a skateboard park, multi-use games area, BMX track, dirt bike area, youth shelter and pavilion at Stoneycroft Rise, off Chestnut Avenue, has been a long-standing ambition of civic chiefs.

Recently, councillors gave the go-ahead for the first phase of the development, which could see a skatepark in place by the end of the summer.

Firms occupying neighbouring prestige accommodation voiced concerns as long ago as December 2003, when they told civic chiefs the scheme was in the wrong location and that they had worries about crime, vandalism and highway safety.

Now Chandler's Ford's BMW giant, Scotthall Hampshire, has voiced fresh concerns following news that the first stage of development could soon begin.

A Scotthall spokesman said: "We are a business employing 160 members of staff. Any proposed amenity for young children must be safe and we believe that the proposed location of the skateboard park has a number of potential dangers."

She added that the location was difficult for most of the population to access as it was on the edge of town.

"The park is difficult to reach by public transport, and access by bike is neither easy nor safe enough to encourage young people to use the facility unaccompanied."

An Eastleigh Council spokesman responded: "There is a bus link close to the site which runs along Falkland Road, and there will be a pedestrian crossing installed in the near future on Chestnut Avenue.

"There is also a cycleway planned for construction, which will be undertaken by Hampshire County Council, and a small car park will be provided at the site."

The initial phase will be a scaled-down version of the original £730,000 scheme.