LANCASTER has landed more than £2 million of lottery cash to develop a 'millennium park' on the banks of the River Lune. This week civic bosses were overjoyed at the news that the ambitious project had been given the go-ahead. The scheme will include a stylish pedestrian and cycle bridge across the river with improvements to footpaths and cycleways between Caton and Salt Ayre.

The project is conditional on the city council matching the £2,364,705 millennium commission grant but city leaders are confident that, with the help of private enterprise, everything is on course for the year 2000.

"This will change the centre of Lancaster into one of the most exciting centres in the North West of England. This is absolutely fabulous news," said Lottery Working Group chairman, Jean Yates.

Council Leader, Cllr Henig, added: "A lot of hard work has gone into the project to date. This is absolutely wonderful news for Lancaster. It is appropriate to thank those concerned. There will now have to be a lot more hard work to turn the dream into reality."

The council bid was led by Deputy Town Clerk, Charles Wilson, who organised a competition to design the millennium bridge, which was won by Whitby and Bird from London.

Mr Wilson said: "This is a culmination of the first stage of an intensive process. We are delighted with the results, which will provide greatly improved facilities and a beautiful new bridge worthy of the next millennium for the city. We now have to ensure the the project can be completed successfully."

The good news was welcomed by Lancaster's MP, Hilton Dawson.

He said: "The project will enhance the reputation of Lancaster as a progressive city of style and culture and will make it even more attractive. The provision of a most handsome and well designed cycle bridge will be a tremendous enhancement to the city's transport infrastructure and will provide a stunning new piece of architecture in a key area. This is exactly what Lancaster deserves for the millennium."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.