A nursery is to be built on the site of a popular, but run-down, skate park in Blackbird Leys, Oxford.

Imagine Co-operative Childcare will begin construction at the site in Cuddesdon Way next month.

It plans to create a single-storey 60-place nursery, which will serve up to 130 families on the estate.

The company, part of the Mid-Counties Co-op, has agreed to pay £60,000 towards the construction of a new multi-sports park in Cuddesdon Way as part of the deal, but no date has been set for its opening.

The business applied for planning permission for the new nursery after learning a similar-sized nursery it already operates in the same road would lose its home in September.

The nursery is currently on Oxford and Cherwell Valley College’s Blackbird Leys campus, but renovation plans mean the college will no longer be able to house it.

At a meeting in Littlemore on Monday, Oxford City Council’s south east area committee agreed to grant planning permission for the new nursery.

Haydn Lunn, operations manager for Imagine, said: “It is fantastic news for us and I think it is fantastic news for the children and families of Blackbird Leys, because they will continue to be served by the nursery.

“We are hoping to be up and running by the end of September. We have got all the plans and we are hoping to commence work at the site at the beginning of March.”

A city council spokesman said residents would be consulted about the new play area before construction began.

The spokesman added: “One of the proposals that we will be consulting on, if planning permission is approved, is providing a multi-sports area which would include five-a-side football and basketball as well as some skate ramps.”

Mr Lunn added: “We don’t want the local youths hanging around without their facilities, so we will be pushing the council to establish exactly what they need.”

The skate park was originally built as tennis courts, but has since become a place for mountain bikers, skateboarders and roller-bladers. About 20 youths use it every day.

Gordon Roper, co-founder of Blackbird Leys Bowls Club, which is next to the skate park, said: “The skate park is rubbish at the moment. It is a good thing the Co-op is going to build a new one.

“We have no objections to it. It could work out well – you never know we could get new members through it!”

ghamilton@oxfordmail.co.uk