THE man behind plans to build a skatepark in Oxford's Cowley Marsh Park has accused councillors of discriminating against young people.

Members of Oxford City Council's Cowley area committee refused to back the scheme, despite receiving 120 letters in support of the proposal, with 28 against.

The proposal will be discussed by the council's strategic development control committee on Friday, April 25.

Oxford Wheels Project chief executive Jack Richens said: "This would increase the diversity of sports provision and improve young people's wellbeing.

"Without this facility, children and young people will only have the streets to practise their sports."

Mr Richens, 28, from Cowley, said concerns raised by councillors and some residents about car parking, impact on traffic, flood risk and noise disturbance had all been addressed - and the council's own planning officers had recommended the application for approval.

He said: "These objections amount to discrimination against skaters and BMXers because of prejudices against them as a group because of their age.

"The young people in Oxford are being discriminated against purely because of a perceived threat that young people present."

Supporter John Sanders, county councillor for Cowley and Littlemore, said: "I strongly believe this is a healthy activity for young people and should and must be encouraged.

"I think it is outrageous that you get the Nimbys' saying 'sorry, not outside my house'. It will be 150 metres from the nearest house. How far do you want it to go?"

Four residents spoke against the proposal, including Judith Harley who was speaking on behalf of Old Temple Cowley Residents' Association.

Mrs Harley described the proposed skatepark as a "locked fortification" which would deprive residents of a green open space and cut into a designated wildlife corridor. She also raised concerns about noise and flooding.

Three of the six members of the committee were unable to comment on the proposal as they also sit on the strategic development control committee.

Of those who could vote, councillors Saj Malik, Sabir-Hussain Mirza and Shah Khan said the proposal did not have the support of the committee due to concerns about flooding, parking, loss of green space, an unacceptable increase in traffic, being out of character with the area and potential noise disturbance.

Mr Malik said he believed the majority of representations in support of the park came from outside the area.

A spokesman for the city council said the number of representations received in relation to the application were among the most it had ever received, behind the Jericho boatyard (387) and Warneford Meadow (185).