A large area of land is to be taken over by Porthleven Town Council, which has plans to open a £40,000 play park on it.

However, both the land and play equipment will only cost the council £5,000, thanks to a series of grants and funding bids.

The land in question is for the playing field known officially as Horseshoe Playing Field, but also known locally as “top park”, along with the adjoining field and Shrubberies Hill car park.

It already comes with play equipment that was described by Cornwall Councillor Andy Wallis as “very dilapidated” when he outlined the proposed deal to town council members last week.

“The concern was, if the town council took over this area it would be liable and have responsibility of maintaining this play park, and it’s in a very poor state,” he said.

However, Mr Wallis has negotiated a deal with Cornwall Council in the form of a one-off £25,000 grant towards a new play park. A further £10,000 is coming from section 106 money given as part of the housing development at Shrubberies Hill.

The land itself would be transferred by Cornwall Council to the town council on a 99-year lease, on a “peppercorn” basis if demanded.

As a result, the town council can get both the land and build the car park for just £5,000 of its own money.

To support his proposal for the town council to take on the land, Mr Wallis said: “My worry with this land is that in the future Cornwall Council could look at this asset and deem it as surplus, and sell it off to a developer. By having this on a 99-year lease we secure that.”

Members were asked to note that a small area of the land would only be given by Cornwall Council with a ten-year option on it, as it felt there could be market value in this land should there be a demand for more social housing to be built.

Councillors gave the plan their full backing, with Mr Wallis congratulated on the negotiations and securing the 106 money for a project in the same area as the development.

Mr Wallis has already had plans drawn up of what the play park could look like. It would be divided into two sections, for young children and teenagers.

To fit with the port’s nautical theme – with the play park at The Moors containing a pirate ship – this park would have a “lighthouse” as part of the equipment; although there was some debate amongst councillors over whether it looked more like the Institute clock tower.

The company that would be supplying the play equimpent has also agreed to include a table and some benches as part of the deal.