A Birmingham skateboard and BMX park accused by residents of being a nuisance neighbour is set to be granted a late night extension to its opening hours.

Council planning officers have ruled that complaints about noise from the Epic Centre in Moseley are outweighed by the benefits of maintaining a leisure facility for "the young at heart" and the need to preserve the historic importance of the listed former tram depot in which the skate-board park is sited.

The city planning committee is being recommended to approve new opening hours for the skateboard and BMX facility of 10am to 11.30 pm on Mondays to Saturdays and 10am to 11pm on Sundays. At the moment, skate-boarding and bike riding has to cease at 9pm in the week and at 10pm at weekends.

A report to the committee this Thursday notes that the centre is the subject of ongoing investigations regarding unauthorised uses including late night enter-tainment events. The council has received complaints about loud music continuing until 5am, in breach of planning restrictions.

Last year Epic's owner, Keith Marsden, successfully applied for a late night drinks licence, allowing music to be played and alcohol served until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. Further applications to extend the hours for live music are planned.

Mr Marsden said he wanted to work with the council to diversify the Moseley Road building into an arts and entertainment centre.

He is being supported by the Moseley Society, which fears the building would be snapped up for "unacceptable" commercial uses if the skateboard park was to close.

In a statement to the planning committee, it warned: "Whilst the current and proposed uses of the listed building may cause some inconvenience to neighbours, the benefit in finding an acceptable new use for a very large historic building, whilst at the same time providing much appreciated facilities for the young at heart, outweighs the disadvantages to neighbours."

Selly Oak MP Lynne Jones said she was concerned that the Epic Centre's operators were in breach of planning conditions imposed by the council relating to soundproofing, the hours of use and noise levels.

Planning officer Stuart Morgan said Mr Marsden was finding it difficult to maintain skateboarding and BMX riding as a viable business since the activities used only a small part of the building. There was a danger that, without an extension to opening hours, the premises might close.

Mr Morgan said the police had been called to the centre on a number of occasions to investigate allegations of anti-social behaviour. Later opening hours could lead to further noise problems, he accepted.

However, he concluded the impact on residents of extended opening hours was outweighed by the benefit in maintaining the use of the listed building. He is recommending the committee approve the application.