A floodlit skateboard park, a multi use games area and new children's play equipment park could form the future for a major new ten acre park proposed for Ripley, following the results of a public survey.

Local schools, skate boarders and the general public were all consulted in separate surveys to get their views about facilities for 'Greenwich Park' off Nottingham Road in Ripley.

The surveys carried out since February, found the vast majority of pupils from Mill Hill Secondary School and at St John's Primary Schools in Ripley said they wanted to see a new outdoor gym, as well as a new equipped play area including a new ariel runway, an activity trim trail and even electronic play equipment.

In a separate consultation, skateboard users said they wanted to see the existing skateboard park replaced with a concrete structure, floodlit and moved to a new location.

A ten percent (780 people) random survey of Ripley people found that the vast majority of the 149 local people who responded opted to rename the site as 'Greenwich Park'.

Further consultation with local sports clubs has identified use of the park as a possible future home for Ripley Town Football Club and Ripley Rangers FC. The Council has also led discussions with the cricket and rugby clubs to find new homes for them at Derbyshire Police Headquarters in Ripley.

The full results of all the consultations can be seen here on Amber Valley Borough Council's web site

Councillor Liz Bowley, Cabinet Member for Green and Thriving Places to Live said:

"We have a long tradition of undertaking targeted consultations to make sure that the people who are likely to use our play areas and recreation grounds can directly affect how they are improved. This resulted in some very specific feedback, which will help us to customise the facilities for the benefit of those groups and the wider community. We will now set to work on redesigning the layout of the area to show the public what the new park could look like once it's complete and hopefully provide a Green Flag standard park that local people deserve."

"I want to emphasise that the long term future of the park is secured. The scheme to develop a new Gateway to Ripley including the development of new homes, a superstore, and a new bypass between Ripley and Codnor, is still subject to planning permission".

The results of this survey will be rolled into a draft masterplan for the park, which will be the subject of further consultation. This will form the basis of the recreational element of the planning application for the wider Gateway scheme.

Enquiries from the media to Luke Barrett, Communications Manager 01773 841655 luke.barrett@ambervalley.gov.uk