After five years of hard work, Sittingbourne will be getting a skatepark.

To be built next to Sittingbourne Retail Park, off Mill Way, the idea for this attraction came around after a group of young people decided they needed a place to skate.

More than £300,000 has been secured to help design and build the park, which will be run by a trust.

A group led by Brogdale CIC helped develop the business plan, which has been approved by the council.

The plans for the skatepark include hosting events and offering training opportunities.

Swale council had already agreed to £200,000 of funding being spent on the project but wanted a trust to run it, with the last hurdles being designing and building the park.

Dave Green, who has been involved in the plans for the skatepark, said: “In 2011 I was asked by my son Daniel to help build a skatepark in Sittingbourne due to the youngsters not having anywhere to go with their skateboards.

“Being an ex-skater from years gone by I felt it was about time Swale had something to be proud of.

"Over five years of hard work and dedication by a mixed bunch it's well on its way to being built, I just wish we could have had a park 45 years ago.

“The site will not only be a place for our community but it will bring a lot of business and interest from outside our area.

“It is already a proven fact that skateparks work for the whole family and help children socialize, become educated and grounded by being part of this type of community.”

He added: “The most important thing for me is that a skatepark is impartial to age, disability, ethnicity, religious benefits, political beliefs, or gender.

"If you persevere you can achieve anything in life, just sometimes it takes a while.”

The skatepark is now in the hands of designers, who will decide on the layout - with detailed planning permission expected in Spring next year.

For more information, visit mill.org.uk/