FAREHAM Council chiefs have agreed to scale down plans for a controversial Stubbington skatepark.

Councillors reached a compromise with angry residents who turned out in force at an executive meeting last night to voice their objections to the plans.

Committee members unanimously agreed to push forward plans but on a smaller scale at Stubbington Recreation Ground, with facilities for games other than just skateboarding.

Resident Jean Cripps, of Crofton Court retirement complex, near the ground in Bells Lane, said it was all they could reasonably expect: "It's a compromise and I am happy that they have listened to us. It's better that it won't be the huge park we thought it would be originally."

Elderly residents feared the skatepark - which they were not opposed to in principle - would mean noise, intimidation and other antisocial behaviour.

They were also upset that they had been left out of some of the consultation procedure and felt that as residents living close to the proposed park their views should have been taken into account.

Eileen Nelson, who spoke on behalf of neighbours at Crofton Court, said: "I am angry and so are the residents. We value the peace and quiet of our surroundings and with the skatepark there we won't be able to open any of our windows. I'm sorry but we just could not deal with it. We should have been properly consulted but we weren't."

Last week, the Daily Echo reported that the park would also mean young footballers from Stubbington Juniors and Crofton Saints would also lose one of their pitches to make way for it.

However, councillors insisted that there needed to be a balance between what the elderly wanted and what the youngsters needed.

The proposed park is the second in a series of five being built in the borough. Wicor Recreation Ground was constructed last year and council chiefs have deemed it "highly successful".

Plans for Locks Heath, Park Lane and Whiteley parks are in the pipeline.

Councillor Arthur Mandry said they could not just refuse to build a skatepark for fear of vandalism and noise and that those problems should be tackled head on.

He said: "We should deal with the violence and unsociable behaviour and not simply say we are not going to build the park because of it."

Committee members backed proposals by Councillor Connie Hockley, executive member for leisure, proposed that the park should still go ahead but should be reduced in size with provision for lighting and closed-circuit TV.