ROMSEY could become home to Britain’s largest indoor skatepark.

Town-based Gravity Engineering Ltd, which builds skateparks across the UK, is behind the ambitious £1.4m project to convert the former Cambridge Capacitors premises on the Budds Lane trading estate.

Besides the skatepark, a BMX track, a 40 ft climbing wall and a gym are proposed within the scheme, which has the working title of Seven Districts Play Safe Recreation Centre. Parking for at least 150 cars will also be provided at the site.

Currently Liverpool’s Rampworx indoor skatepark is the biggest of its kind in the UK at 48,000 square feet but Romsey’s will be 7,000 square feet larger.

Project manager, Richard Bartlett, said he hoped a consortium of seven local authorities, including Test Valley, would be formed to get the scheme rolling within the next few months.

“We know there is a definite need for an indoor skatepark in the area,” he said. “Demand has already been proven. At the moment people travel hundreds of miles across the United Kingdom to the present largest skatepark facility in Liverpool.”

“Kids will absolutely love what we’ve got planned with at least 35 rides for skateboarders.”

Mr Bartlett said the old Cambridge premises were the “perfect building” for the skatepark.

It is hoped the Romsey centre could be a venue for the UK skateboarding championships and could also host a round of the World Cup of skateboarding.

He added skateparks had been a useful took in tackling antisocial behaviour because and helped keep youngsters off the street.

Mr Bartlett said besides Test Valley, local authority partners in the scheme could include New Forest District Council, Southampton City Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, Winchester City Council, Portsmouth City Council and Bournemouth Borough Council.

He said each partner would be asked to chip in £200,000 towards the project and could expect to see returns on tjeir investment by the third year.

Mr Bartlett calculates that about 40,000 people would use the centre annually with a projected membership of about 10,000.

“We are confident we can do this and the state-of-the-art centre could be up and running within six months from design to completion,” he said.

Gravity has built skateparks all over the UK, including those at the Rapids in Romsey and North Baddesley Recreation centre. Mr Bartlett said the firm’s order books were full and the company had a number of projects on the go including a £400,000 outdoor skatepark in Renfrewshire, Scotland.

Adding her support to the scheme Test Valley’s cabinet spokesperson for leisure Caroline Nokes said: “In principle, I think this sounds like a great idea and an excellent facility for Romsey. Certainly I am conscious that there is significant demand for this type of facility and any scheme that will help promote physical activity has to be a good thing. Obviously there will be planning issues to consider, however, I am fundamentally in favour of finding ways to deliver a greater range of leisure facilities in the borough.”