LAUNCESTON Town Council has offered its support to a group trying to transform a space once described as a ‘post-war bomb site’.

The Lanstephan Area Play Park group wants to turn a site off St Mary’s Road into a play area — and town councillors agreed to offer support by taking on ownership once the land is fit to be owned.

The group had asked the town council if it would take on ownership, and in October councillors raised concerns about where funding would come from for the future maintenance of the proposed play park, especially if there would be many pieces of play equipment.

The council said at the time any decision on its position would be put on hold until Cornwall Council gave it more information on the part the local authority was prepared to play.

The town council last week considered a recommendation by its finance committee, which had heard of funding secured and an application for further funding for the park. But the town council’s support was needed to make the bid for further funding succeed. The committee supported the request.

Iris Lindsay, chairman of Lanstephan Area Play Park group, was at the full council meeting last week to hear the council’s decision and to give an update on plans.

She said: “We have applied for a Pocket Park bid to turn it into more of a green space, not full of big play equipment.

“We want to work with the landscape as it is, make it much more simplified, with natural features — still with play areas, but benches, trees, bushes.”

Ms Lindsay said they are also going to apply for funding from Cory for the project. Funding has also been promised by the Rotary Club, and a provisional sum of £10,000 from Cornwall Council has been secured.

She said the first stage involves the surface being ‘made safe’, and if the Pocket Park bid is successful, it has to be done ‘by the end of March’.

The group hopes to hear the outcome of its Pocket Park bid in the new year.

Cllr Paul O’Brien told the meeting: “We have supported other areas of the town; provided facilities for them.”

Speaking directly to the representatives of the play park group present, he added: “Other areas, in truth, look financially more prosperous than your area and really I think it is about time the residents of Lanstephan had a better deal than they do.”

Cllr Rob Tremain added: “I came along with several councillors to your [play park group’s] first meeting and I thought I would take a bit of convincing on this. But since that meeting the work you have been doing is absolutely wonderful.”

Cllr Dave Gordon said: “My concern from the very beginning was the financial implications. That has been addressed.”

Mayor Cllr Brian Hogan proposed the town council offer its support by taking ownership once the land is fit to be owned, and this was passed.