Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has approved plans to replace an ageing BMX track at Lyme Valley Parkway as part of the new administration’s drive to deliver visible improvements in communities.
Plans to create a modern, all-weather pump track at Lyme Valley Parkway are moving forward - five years after residents first called for the existing facility to be upgraded.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s Cabinet has approved the use of £135,000 secured from housing developers to fund the project.
The existing BMX track, which was installed around 20 years ago, will be remodelled, extended and resurfaced with tarmac.
It will become an all-weather facility suitable for cyclists, skateboarders, scooter riders and rollerbladers of different ages and abilities.
Specialist contractors have already produced initial designs for a purpose-built circuit featuring rollers, banked corners known as berms and flowing turns.
The track is intended to be accessible to beginners taking their first steps in wheeled sports while providing a challenging facility for more experienced riders.
The Staffordshire Signal has discovered that residents were calling for similar investment as far back as 2021.
A petition launched on 22nd June that year asked the borough council to upgrade the Lyme Valley track, which it described as having fallen into a state of disrepair.
The petition, which attracted 92 supporters, said the park lacked action-sports facilities following the removal of skate ramps and suggested a new track could provide young people with something positive to do.
It called for a tarmaced facility resembling the pump track created at Newchapel Recreation Ground.
The council’s latest plans would deliver much of what the petition originally requested.
Councillor Ben Simpson, Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Green Spaces, said the Reform UK administration wanted to deliver practical improvements that residents could see and enjoy.
He said:
“We are putting money back into our communities, investing in our parks and creating places where children can be active, families can spend time together and young people have something positive to do.
“Lyme Valley is one of our borough’s most valued green spaces. We are directing investment into facilities that will make a real difference to local people.”
The council will now invite tenders from potential contractors before consulting residents on the proposed designs during the autumn.
Procurement information published for the project also indicates that a seating area will be included alongside the new track.
The Lyme Valley facility will build on the existing pump track at Newchapel Recreation Ground and complement another track planned as part of improvements to Bradwell Dingle.
Councillor Andrew Fisher, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Neighbourhoods, said the new facility would be available for families and young people to enjoy for years to come.
He said:
“We were elected to put residents first, protect the places they value and strengthen our communities.
“This new pump track will give families and young people a modern facility they can enjoy for years to come.”
Although the council’s approval marks an important step forward, the final design has not yet been agreed.
Residents, families and users of the existing BMX track will be invited to comment through the forthcoming public consultation.
This article has been provided by The Staffordshire Signal. Click below to find more local news.
More from News from The Staffordshire Signal
-
Inside the fight over Spode Works: the plan to regenerate a heritage site, and the artists who say they're being left out of it
Spode Works is one of Stoke's most significant heritage sites, and Capital&Centric's own engineer says its buildings could be repaired rather than demolished. So why aren't they being? We investigate.
-
Staffordshire Farmers Urged to Shear Sheep Despite Bluetongue Concerns
Sheep farmers across Staffordshire are being warned that delaying shearing because of fears surrounding bluetongue could cause serious animal-welfare problems.
-
£34m College Boost to Create New Classrooms and Specialist Training Facilities
Colleges across Staffordshire are set to expand after securing millions of pounds in government funding - but work must continue to determine whether the investment can meet growing demand for post-16 places.
-
Stoke-on-Trent Male Voice Choir to perform charity concert for firefighters
Stoke-on-Trent Male Voice Choir will perform a free charity concert in Newcastle-under-Lyme this September, raising support for firefighters and their families.
-
Recovery work continues following major Sandyford fire
Recovery work and support for residents are continuing after the major Sandyford fire, with four properties identified as dangerous structures and a public appeal established for affected families.
Schedule
-
Simon's Big New Thursday Thing9:00pm - 11:00pm
-
Loud and Local11:00pm - Midnight
-
Loud and Local
Midnight - 7:00am
