WORK is set to start on construction of a £6m Wirral indoor skate park and sporting village after the project was given outline planning permission.

Rampworx’s plan for a 7,000 sq m complex on land at Valley Road in Bidston that could create up to 35 jobs was unanimously approved by councillors on Wirral’s planning committee when it met on Thursday.

It includes a skate park with floor space up to 6,00 sq m and more than 1,000 sq m of commercial floor space.

Ancillary facilities would include admin offices, a cafe, flexible learning spaces and business support facilities for young entrepreneurs and car parking.

Rampworx, the charity and social enterprise that work with young people to provide sporting and learning opportunities, already has a skate park in Aintree, Liverpool, catering for around 1,300 people a week.

The unused land in Valley Road, was formerly is by Birkenhead Docks Sports and Social Centre.

It is now part of a recreation development site that presently supports Wirral Sports Centre that includes an indoor tennis complex and associated outdoor facilities.

Sport England North West said the proposal “would have the significant benefit of bringing land back into use primarily for sport and active recreation and would represent a significant financial investment into sport and recreation.”

Work on the Bidston project began in 2007 and planning approval for the development would allow the charity to apply for grant funding.

Tony Berry, Rampworx development manager, explained recently: “It will be a flagship building for extreme sports, drawing in top-level athletes from all over the world.

“It’s multi-use and there are social and educational aspects, too.”