HYNDBURN Council has agreed to give £50,000 towards ambitious plans for Rhyddings Park in Oswaldtwistle.

Community groups working on a major refurbishment project there were given £100,000 to develop plans that could lead to a £1.46 million makeover.

Proposals include the creation of a Victorian kitchen garden, which would hold community and school allotments.

The old coach house would be refurbished, and would include a cafe for visitors manned by people with learning difficulties, while a training kitchen would allow primary schoolchildren to learn how to cook.

Two classrooms would also be built, as would a new Victorian greenhouse, which would “permit more food produce to be grown throughout the year to serve the kitchen.”

Not-for-profit Newground Together, formerly Groundwork Pennine Lancashire, will lead the project, council documents revealed.

In a report, head of parks and cemeteries Craig Haraben said: “It is anticipated that the funding bid will be submitted at the end of February 2015, with the outcome known during August 2015.

“Should the funding bid be successful, it is proposed that the council appoints Newground Together to act as project manager for the delivery phase of the project.

“This will require the council to waive the tendering requirement in its contract procedure rules but this appears to be a sensible approach given Newground Together’s familiarity with the project.”