LAST ditch attempt to torpedo the proposed £100,000 skate park on Teignmouth seafront seems to have failed.

Despite the much needed facility being given the go-ahead by Teignbridge and agreed by the town council last year, a group of seafront residents turned up at a town council meeting on Tuesday and, backed by some councillors, maintained it was in the wrong place and would create noise and disturbances.

The new use for the derelict paddling pool does not need planning permission, and a move by Cllrs James McMurray and Geoff Bladon to submit an application anyway, to give people a chance to air their views on the scheme, was derided by Cllr David Cox and Cllr Terry Falcao.

'There is legal advice that planning consent is not required. The planning system is not to be used to debate something on policy grounds, rather than planning matters,' declared Cllr Cox.

'It is totally improper, and in contravention of the planning act; an abuse of the planning system. What is the point in submitting planning applications when it is not needed?

'I do think this council is sometimes influenced by who is in the public gallery. We unanimously supported this project last year, and now some councillors are conveniently changing their mind,' Cllr Cox claimed.

'We have consulted to death on this. If these people choose not to take part, they should not try and get around it on planning grounds.'

Cllr Falcao maintained those against the skatepark on the Den were in 'a very small minority', and asked: 'How much consultation do you want?

Cllrs McMurray, Bladon, Fred Tooley and Vince Fusco, the mayor, voted to seek planning permission, with Cllrs Falcao, Cox, Don Baldey and June Green against, but the motion was lost on the casting vote of the chairman of the finance and general purposes committee, Cllr Baldey, who said: 'It would be a sad day for this town and council if we cannot provide a skatepark for our young people.'

He produced a minute from a 2008 meeting which stated that the decision to back a skatepark on the seafront was unanimous. But Cllrs Fusco and Tooley disputed the accuracy of the minute.

Earlier, Cllr Bladon pointed out they had been trying to provide a skatepark for many years, and the youngsters only wanted it to be on the seafront. But he was trying to give those opposed to it, a chance to put their point of view through the planning process.

Cllr Fusco thought there would be safety issues with the pool location, and doubted it would be used much in bad winter weather.

It was not large enough to accommodate all the facilities the youngsters wanted, and pleaded: 'Let's give them a big enough site they will use.'

Cllr Fusco suggested one alternative site could be in the grounds of Bitton House, but Cllr Baldey said this would be even closer to homes than the seafront.

One of the residents' spokesmen, Maura Cassidy, said they were not against youth facilities, but the 'lovely' seafront was the wrong place for a skatepark. They had concerns about possible rowdyism, noise levels and safety issues, and she added that many people did not feel included in the decision process.

Another resident, Michael Hunt, said they felt let down and bitter because they had been assured they could raise their objections in the planning stage, but that was now not going to happen. They feared the park would be used well into the night and early hours, causing disturbance.

Cllr Falcao, who has been a fervent supporter of the skatepark, stressed the majority public support for the facility, and said they had gone past trying to find a different site every time somebody complained.

'It was discussed 20 years ago, and we are no further forward. A lot of young people say they are not listened to, but on this project they have had a major input.'

Cllr Falcao agreed they should try to address the concerns of the residents, and they were doing this by improving sound proofing and combating any anti-social behaviour.

And Cllr June Green warned that it was a waste of money having it on a site that would not be used. The young people would just go back to the seafront.

She recalled that two years ago one of the priorities people voted for in the plan to regenerate Teignmouth, was a skatepark, and many of those in favour were over 50.

There had been ample time for consultation, and a change of heart at this late state would be letting down the young people.

'It is time we provided something in my lifetime for youngsters – they are the future of this town,' she said.

At the start of the meeting, Cllr Falcao objected to the residents being allowed to speak, because they had not given the statutory three days' notice in writing, and members had not been advised in advance that they were turning up.

The final design for the skatepark is due to be unveiled in the autumn, and it could be completed by May next year.