Monmouth Off-Street Project (MOSP), the community group responsible for the development of a new skate board park and BMX pump track in Rockfield Road, met on Monday to discuss progress.

Monmouthshire County Council has agreed the lease of the land in principal and the contract is now with the legal department being finalised.

Once the lease is complete, the planning applications can go ahead, but with Monmouth Town Council being involved in the project from the start and the project having passed through cabinet and single members' meetings without any objection, there is little possibility that the planning permission will not be granted.

At a recent Community Safety Partnership Meeting, Mike Moran, community infrastructure co-ordinator at Monmouthshire County Council, said: "The park sits nicely in the surrounding area and it is pleasing that people are already using the facility."

The next steps are to get an ecology survey (primarily to ensure that the park and its lighting will not interrupt the bats who feed on the fields). This will cost between £750 and £1,100.

The project has so far been made possible by community fundraising and sponsorship, the most recent raffle raising more than £300.

Appeals are being made for donations of cash, help with fundraising, and even more practical assistance of 10 tonnes of limestone to fill some ruts.

Also needed for the park are benches, bins and, eventually, tarmac. Local businesses are asked to use the contact details at the end of this article to make enquiries.

MOSP would like to thank Rob Breakwell and Shaun Bevan, builders who have helped in the preliminary construction, and also Eagle Plant, who donated the necessary earth moving equipment.

The project is estimated to be going to cost around £180,000. MOSP is hoping to gain funding from the National Lottery and from 106 monies (funds which are pledged to the local authority by housing developers for community projects).

Funding cannot be applied for until the lease is in place so in the meantime the project is dependant on residents and interested parties.

The next fundraising opportunity is at the end of September when MOSP will be throwing an Italian-themed party at the Shire Hall, with authentic food cooked by CSO Joe Facciano, who has a key leadership role in the project.

For more information email Giuseppe.Facchiano@gwent.

pnn.police.uk