IT HAS been three years in the making but a community skate park designed by children has finally opened.

The revamped Area 31 skate park in the Pylands estate, Bursledon, replaces the old wooden facilities at a cost of £100,000.

Councillors hope it will continue to play a role in reducing antisocial behaviour.

Young people were involved in the design, logo and name of the concrete facility, which is based on its SO31 postcode, and the children involved have been recognised on the sign board outside. Parish and borough councillors marked the opening, with Eastleigh mayor Tony Noyce, Eastleigh MP Mike Thornton and Labour’s Eastleigh parliamentary candidate Mark Latham joined by three of the 30 youngsters who helped to design the park, Spencer Holton, 9, James Greenfield, 14, and Josh Cull, 13.

The makeover came thanks to £85,000 from Eastleigh Borough Council and a further £15,000 from Bursledon Parish Council.

Bursledon Parish Council chairman Mark McCormick said the facility, off Foundry Crescent, was crucial to Bursledon, giving children somewhere to go, and while it was closed the parish council had seen a rise in antisocial behaviour in the area.

He said: “It’s allowing the children to have something they’re involved in. It’s very important they have somewhere to go. We’re giving the children something to do and keeping them out of trouble.

“It’s their park and they’ll look after it.”