LOTTERY bosses have paved the way for the transformation of Congleton Park by awarding the scheme a £1 million grant.

The funding has given the green light to the long-awaited £1.4 million project, work on which is due to start next spring.

The scheme is aimed at restoring the Victorian park to its former glory, and making it a magnet for local people and visitors to the town alike.

Work on restoring the Grade Two listed park, which dates back to 1871, is expected to take 18 months to complete.

The £1 million grant has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and follows the success of the Stage Two bid for financial support for the project.

"This is fantastic news for Congleton," said borough council managing director Peter Cooper this week.

"Many people have put in a great deal of hard work to secure this funding, and the end result will be the recreation of a town park of Victorian splendour of which everyone in Congleton will be proud."

Margaret Williamson, chairman of the park's joint management committee, said she was "very excited" by news of the lottery award.

"This is just what we have been wanting to hear, and is the culmination of many years of hard work by local community groups campaigning for the park's restoration."

The project will include a revamp of the ornamental gardens and renovation and extension of the Jubilee pavilion.

The pavilion will feature an indoor caf and riverside terrace caf, with its main hall available for community use.

It will also act as the base for a park ranger with responsibility for overseeing the maintenance of the park and deterring vandals.

Further security measures include the introduction of park lighting and two CCTV cameras.

They will be linked to the borough council's integrated CCTV network and control room in Alsager, enabling the park to be monitored 24 hours a day.

A major feature of the project will be the restoration of the Town Wood.

Through a programme of woodland management locally invasive species of beech and sycamore will be removed and replaced by indigenous trees and shrubs.

Footpaths will be restored to a high quality Victorian standard and appearance.

As well as the £993,000 lottery grant the council has pledged £300,000 to the scheme.

In addition Congleton Town Council, Congleton Town Trust, William Dean Trust and the Congleton Inclosure Trust are each backing the project to the tune of £10,000.

Of this money £80,000 has been earmarked for a full restoration of the park bandstand, making it into a potential venue for community art and theatre and a home for performing bands.

Other planned works include a new car park in Park Road, and disabled parking at Park Road car park and outside the pavilion.

Children's play areas and equipment will be renewed, there will be new entrance features, improved signs and new park seating.

Work will also take place to stabilise the river bank and improve the jetty on the River Dane.