Skateboarders win war with millionaire neighbours to build new park
Skateboarders triumph over millionaires: Residents’ fury as skatepark is built yards from their multi-million seafront houses – where owners include Bonnie Tyler – after defeat in epic planning battle in Wales
- Skateboarders won their battle to build a new park near the luxury Welsh homes
- Neighbours in the estate, that counts Bonnie Tyler as a resident, fought for years
Skateboarders are celebrating victory over a millionaires’ row of luxury homes – as a giant £460,000 skatepark has been built outside their plush their seafront houses.
Neighbours on the plush seafront strip, where singer Bonnie Tyler lives with her husband, mounted a legal challenge to block a new skatepark in front of their houses.
But the wealthy home-owners abandoned their fight to block it after the skateboarders were backed by angry drivers and walkers going past their large seafront homes overlooking the park.
Supporters of the skatepark staged their own protest by noisily blowing their car horns as they drive past the plush homes on the seafront road.
And now, after a five-year feud, the park has almost been completed after being green-lit by council bosses.
The skate park (pictured) has been on hold as a five-year legal row raged between campaigners and neighbours living in luxury houses behind the site (pictured rear)
A future vision: The skate park is almost finished following, with campaigners hoping the facility in Wales could open as early as next month (pictured is the artist impression of what the completed site will look like)
The concrete and steel skatepark has taken shape on Swansea seafront in front of the row of luxury houses including that of ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ singer Bonnie, 70, and her property developer husband Robert Sullivan.
It was initially set to cost £198,825 but is now expected to cost around £461,800 after the long-running battle against the park’s wealthy neighbours.
Jason Williams, chairman of Mumbles Skatepark Association, is ‘excited’ to have finally won his campaign – and expects the first wheels to be rolling next month.
‘We’ve been having lots and lots of positive feedback from the community. Everyone is desperate to know when it’s going to be open,’ he added.
Seven of the neighbours launched legal action with a law firm to challenge the way Swansea Council transferred the land to the local community council for the skatepark. It’s not known if Mrs Tyler was among them.
A campaign was launched on social media encouraging drivers to beep their horns as they drive past the luxury homes at Mumbles.
The main target of the abuse is car dealer Mark Bailey – who lives next door to singer Bonnie – after he was filmed confronting some of the skateboarders.
Neighbours on the plush seafront strip, where singer Bonnie Tyler lives with her husband, mounted a legal challenge to block a new skatepark in front of their houses.
Among the neighbours who reportedly objected to the plans was car dealer Mark Bailey, who was filmed, above, during an encounter with some skaters at the park’s old half-pipe ramp
But Mr Bailey did a U-turn and has withdrawn his objections to expand the skatepark after seeing the video – and suffering the car horns blaring outside his home.
He said: ‘I do understand why the skaters are so passionate about the skate park.’
Mumbles community councillors Pamela Erasmus and Sara Keeton said: ‘It’s been five long years but we are delighted and excited that completion should be around the end of February.
‘We have had a brilliant community effort and without the backing of our community this would not have been possible so we’d like to thank everyone who has supported this.’
The costs have risen steeply. An original proposal fours years ago would have cost just under £200,000. The scheme was then redesigned and estimated at just over £303,000.
Further amendments coupled with rising prices now means the long-awaited skating facility is now expected to cost an eye-watering £461,853.
An online petition in support of the skatepark project had more than 5,700 signatures.
A mini half-pipe was the only piece of equipment on the site of the planned skate park. The area has been popular with skateboarders for more than 20 years.
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