YOUNGSTERS in a Worcester parish are one step closer to having a much wanted multi-use games area and youth shelter.

Plans to build a flood-lit all-weather pitch and £5,000 shelter in St Peter's are set to go before Worcester City Council's planning committee on Thursday.

If the plans are given the thumbs up, the facility will be built on land opposite Rainthorpe Avenue, near the newly-built St Peter's Baptist Church, which is currently vacant and overgrown.

Roger Knight, Worcester City and St Peter's Parish councillor said: "What we are trying to do is create a new centre of focus, somewhere where our youth can meet and talk without impacting on the rest of the community.

"Over the years youths have tended to congregate around the area by Lloyds Chemist (Abbotsbury Court), which is on a public thoroughfare and a heavily used footway.

"This inevitably brings about conflict between people wishing to pass by when there are groups of youths. It will be a great facility for our youth to use."

The site will be enclosed with a three-metre high fence and the shelter will not have additional lighting.

The facility can be locked at night if problems occur.

Coun Knight added: "Whether or not we lock it depends on how it's used. If it's treated with respect and used in a reasonable manner it will be left open. If it's abused or vandalised it will only be available through booking." Coun Knight said the site was away from residential properties and the lighting would be turned off at 9pm every night to minimise the disturbance.

The money for the project is coming from contributions from developers. The application has been submitted by St Peter's Parish Council, on behalf of the parish's Village Hall Association.