CHILDREN living near Ings County Primary School, Skipton, are one step closer to having somewhere safe to play ball.

A £17,000 grant was awarded by Craven District Council to the Broughton Road Community Group towards building a multi-use games area in the school's playground.

The recreational ground is to be used by the over 12s, who currently have to play football in the street.

Chairman Paul English said: "The Broughton Road community is desperate for somewhere for the children to play. There is a small size facility for the under-12s but there has always been a lack of places for the local children to kick a ball.

"The only place to play safely is on the Ings School playground which the school allows the kids to play on.

"There has been a number of audits on Broughton Road and one thing that had always come out is the lack of space for children to kick a ball."

The initiative has already been welcomed by the local Crime Reduction Partnership, which said it was a good example of the community working together.

The £17,000 was handed to the council by Southdale Homes Ltd, which built 33 housing association properties on land off Marton Street.

The money was a condition of planning consent in lieu of including recreational facilities on the site.

Also in the running for the money was the Coulthurst Craven Sports Centre, which is planning a £2.5 million development of its Sandylands site.

The proposed development comprises a full size floodlit all-weather multi-purpose pitch and an extension to house a purpose-built climbing wall, gymnasium, associated changing facilities and educational meeting rooms, along with additional car parking.

A bid for £455,000 will be submitted to the Football Foundation in January. If successful this will provide 65 per cent of the costs.

But the voluntary-run non-profit making centre will need to find match funding for the rest. Much of this has been sourced elsewhere.

Roger Beck, the chairman of the development committee, said: "The sports centre is the most comprehensive sports provider in Craven. There is no other full size flood-lit pitch in Craven. The need for such is clearly recognised."

The committee was divided, with some members saying the money should be split, and others feeling the money should go to the Ings School development.

Head of economic and community development Jonathan Kerr said that the committee had a "difficult decision" to make.

He said: "Mr Beck's development will make a significant impact on Skipton and particularly the whole of Craven.

"The proposal for Ings School is a very different proposal but will be a very valuable asset to the Broughton Road area and increase the school's facilities and provide an opportunity for children on the road to play there.

"Basically we want both of the schemes to go ahead."

In a narrow vote, members agreed the money should go to the Broughton Road scheme.

After the meeting, Mr Kerr said officers were working to find alternative funds to assist the Coulthurst Sports Centre project.