New Yapton skatepark approved

The 1,750sqm park will be located west of Yapton Road, Yapton, and provide 67 parking spaces, sharing access off Yapton Road through a carpark with neighbouring Ceasefire Cafe and Sussex Home of Target Shooting (SHOTS) rifle range.

Residents’ support mainly focused on potential mental health improvements for young people and the need for a new skatepark in Arun district – especially given the closure of a skatepark in Bognor Regis.

One resident said: “There is a definite need for a place kids can go that’s safe and dry – skateboarding is a positive and creative hobby which is both good for mental health and fitness.”

Clymping Parish Council and two residents objected to the plans due to a potential increase in traffic congestion, with the parish claiming the current parking provisions for the site would be insufficient.

The park will have a capacity of 100 to 150 people, with agent’s for the applicant stating they expect 50 per cent of journeys to the park to be by foot, stating the 700 and 500 bus routes stop at the nearby Rollaston Park stop.

Yapton Parish Council supported the development for its potential mental health benefits, but had concerns over a roundabout shown in the plans, which Arun District Council officers said was not part of the application but part of general access to the Ford strategic site.

The Ford Airfield site, part of the ford strategic site north-east of the new skatepark, was recently approved for a development of 1500 homes.