COUNCIL bosses hope to start work on the £1million restoration of Thompson Park in Burnley in early 2017.

The council was recently successful in securing a grant of £52,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to prepare detailed and fully costed plans for the work, which must be submitted for further lottery funding by August 2016.

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The Heritage Lottery Fund board will consider the second stage submission in December 2016, and if the bid is successful the work could be completed by summer 2018.

Cllr Bea Foster, portfolio holder for leisure and culture at the council, said: “A report has been prepared for this council seeking approval to bring the Heritage Lottery Fund grant into the current years capital programme and identifying the financial contribution of £100,000 that the council will need to make to match the overall grant of £860,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund if the stage two submission is successful.

“This commission will include detailed designs for the refurbishment of buildings, and consultation and engagement with park users, the community and groups such as the Civic Trust, Historical Society, Wildlife Advisory Group.”