YOUNGSTERS in a Hampshire community are to get a new state-of-the-art venue to hone their street sport skills.

Leisure chiefs at Southampton City Council have agreed to a New Deal for Communities (NDC) project to build a £75,000 skate and bike park in the heart of Thornhill.

It follows numerous requests from local youngsters to provide a facility on the estate that will keep them entertained

during evenings and at weekends.

The park will be built on Hinkler Green on the site of a current kick-about area.

However, the plans also include a replacement for this area, complete with permanent goal posts.

The contract to build the park - expected to be constructed from steel or concrete for durability reasons - will now be tendered out to prospective companies.

Once interested companies have submitted their proposals, an exhibition of potential plans will be on show at the NDC shop on Hinkler Parade, and the favoured version will be chosen.

Project organisers at the NDC are hoping the park will be finished by Easter.

Ray Whalley, Thornhill NDC co-ordinator, said: "There has been considerable consultation over this project and there has been a will to get it built for several years now.

"Now the NDC has come along we are able to produce it as the money is available, and we are delighted that it will finally be built."

Councillor Derek Burke, cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said: "It was a request from the young people of Thornhill and we looked at it, agreed it was a good idea and have approved the project.

"It will offer the local youngsters somewhere to go for a long time to come and it shows the council responding to the wants of the community."

Councillor Perry McMillan, whose ward covers Thornhill, said: "It's great news for local youngsters.

"It's something that has been long talked about, especially as there was some frustration over whether it would be delivered.

"Let's hope it proves to be a success and is well used by the young people who asked for it in the first place."