AN EXTRA investment is set to be made as part of an ambitious bid to ensure a £1.16 million lottery project to revive the fortune of Burnley’s ‘people’s park’ is successful.

Councillors are being asked to release a further £62,600 from this year’s capital programme, to support the borough council’s Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) scheme for Thompson Park.

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Just last month the HLF announced that the initiative would be receiving an initial £52,600 to draw up more detailed submissions on how the 1930s feature could be upgraded.

If a second stage application proved to be fruitful, it would provide £860,000 of the overall total required to make improvements such as restoring the pavilion cafe as a multi-purpose community room and exhibition space.

Cllr Bea Foster, leisure cabinet member, said: “We now have to make sure we put together a further, more detailed submission to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

“We’ll be making sure we involve the park’s users in that and in restoring and celebrating the history of this beautiful, award-winning park.

“Thompson Park holds cherished memories for many local people. Sadly it’s beginning to show its age and needs a comprehensive makeover. The HLF grant will enable us to go ahead with a major restoration of the park that will ensure it provides happy memories for generations to come.”

Other work planned includes the restoration of the park’s Italian and rose gardens, repairs to trees around the boating lake and the refurbishment of play area equipment.

Burnley has had previous success with the Heritage Lottery Fund after Towneley Park was awarded a multi-million pound handout, which saw everything from pathways to water features overhauled.

Leisure head Simon Goff said in a report: “The project will restore buildings and structures in Thompson Park that are deteriorating and some of which are already closed, such as the pavilion, or have been removed such as the Italian Garden pergolas.”

The deadline for the bid is this month and the HLF board will meet in December to make a decision. Work would start in September 2017 if approval is given, and possibly finished by summer 2018.