A BID to create a new bike park for people of all ages to enjoy in Stourport-on-Severn has been submitted to council planners.

Kidderminster charity Open Trail wants to create seven bike trails, a clubhouse, toilets and car parking at Burlish Woodlands, Kingsway, to form Burlish Bike Park.

It has submitted an application to Wyre Forest District Council after securing £135k Places to Ride grant funding from Sports England, £39k from a Crowdfunding appeal and £47k from contributions to fund technical and environmental assessments.

The land is already home to dirt jumps which have attracted cyclists from across the country for 30 years.

The owner donated the land to Open Trail which has developed this application to save them from being bulldozed as they need refurbishing.

Notes to planners state: "Open Trail was offered the donation of land at Burlish Woodlands (which incorporates the Burlish dirt jumps), by Mucklow PLC in September 2020, after identifying an opportunity to create a managed mountain bike facility in this location that would also protect the 30-year-old jumps from demolition."

The toilet block and clubhouse/tuckshop would be constructed from wood-cladded shipping containers.

A design and access statement states the trails "work with the existing site features and topography, to minimise disturbance to existing trees, vegetation and wildlife habitats."

It adds: "There is a great deal of local demand and action for mountain bike facilities in our region, and the creation of new family, adult and youth opportunities to meet this demand is essential, particularly following the impact of Covid; offering health, wellbeing and social opportunities in a safe environment that also manages the impact on the environment."

The proposed seven trails range from a wide safe trail for the whole family to black line which features a series of very large jump gaps for advanced riders.

Plans feature 25 car spaces for staff volunteers and riders.