YOUNGSTERS will soon benefit from a new play area and football pitch in Bury.

A multi-use games area will be built and a football pitch laid out on Broad Oak playing fields, in Broad Oak Lane.

The plan was passed on Tuesday evening, at the meeting of Bury Council's planning committee.

But some residents near to Broad Oak Lane said that such sites could encourage teenagers to behave anti-socially. They said they had past experiences over a previous play area.

Coun Mike Connolly said: "I can understand where the residents are coming from, but there is a lack of facilities in this particular area of East ward. If it was to be put in another site young people living nearby would need to cross busy roads to get to it.

"And it is a fact that other ball zones in other areas have been extremely successful."

A public consultation was carried out by the council with 254 people, and 49 forms were returned. Of this total, 47 people said that they thought it was a good site, one person said it was not, and another said they were not sure.

Councillor Yvonne Wright agreed with residents that the games area should not be on the site.

She said: "I had never seen this area before the site visit and it is a beautiful meadow. Residents already have a football pitch. I do not see why they need another one here. This is not the location."