Skateboarders say a park is desperately needed in the area

A businessman wants to use a 3,000 square foot industrial unit in Saltash to get youngsters off the streets and reduce complaints about noise.

But there are concerns the proposed unit only has six parking spaces.

Nick Marker, who wants to convert the unit, says it will be enough because most youngsters will be dropped off and collected by their parents.

It's especially needed in the winter Lucas Brammall

If it gets the go-ahead, the park on the Moorland Trading Estate would be the second in the county. The other is at Mount Hawke near Truro.

Nick Marker, who ran a similar venture in Plymouth, said the supervision would be good for the young people.

He said: "We just see them out on the streets, they've nowhere to go and we see a lot dip out of these sports and start going down a rougher road. We don't want to see that."

But when councillors recently visited the unit to discuss planning issues, one of them, Steve Tait, also expressed concerns about youngsters' safety while walking to and from the site.

He said: "Industrial estates by their very nature are busy with lorries and the like. They are used 24 hours a day, so you can't say there's ever going to be a quiet time for them to use it."

Nick Marker said he had a survey carried out which showed only 12% of people going to and from the unit would have vehicles, which would mean no more than four cars using spaces at a time.

Skateboarder Lucas Brammall, 16, said a skate park is desperately needed in the area.

He said: "It's especially needed in the winter, when it's raining, or when other places are too crowded or just unskateable."

A decision on a planning application to change the use of the unit from light industrial to leisure will be made next month.