THIS is the first glimpse of designs for the long-awaited skatepark to be built in Darlington's South Park.

If the plans get the go-ahead from Darlington Borough Council's planning committee, the £55,000 park could be finished in June - ready for the summer season.

The proposed park has been a controversial subject. Some residents are worried the park will attract youngsters from all over Darlington, leading to an increase in anti-social behaviour.

In November, local skating expert, Paul Naisbitt, who runs Urban Chaos in Darlington, said the council's original designs for the park were not what youngsters wanted.

He said skaters wanted ramps made out of concrete, rather than wood, and favoured bowl-style obstacles, rather than the suggested quarter-pipes.

Planning officers returned to the drawing board and have tried to please residents and skaters. The latest designs were produced after consultation with more than 270 skaters who attended a meeting where they put forward their own proposals.

These ideas have been incorporated into the final designs - which include a skate bowl, ramps, gaps, ledges which skaters can grind over and a central raised area for jumps.

Mr Naisbitt said: "These plans were drawn up by a lot of my customers and it is now definitely what they want."

He had previously advised the council that it needed to install CCTV cameras at the park - and cameras are now part of the plans.

It is hoped the designs will go before the planning committee in March. Work could start in April and take two months to complete.

The skatepark is being built by John Hellens Contracts.