Grants boost park improvement plans

Council chiefs will be asked to give the go-ahead to the next stage of a scheme to revamp Middleton Park in south Leeds at a meeting on Wednesday.

The 630-acre park is just four miles from Leeds city centre and is hugely popular with local residents.

Last month, the Heritage Lottery Fund accepted a bid for a 1.46m grant under the Parks for People programme.

The council had agreed in December to invest 125,000, which would be supported by a further grant of 287,000 from the Wades Charity.

At a meeting of the council's executive board councillors will be asked to give final approval to the grant, agree the detailed improvement work and enter into a contract for the scheme with the HLF.

The scheme will restore many of the original Victorian features of the park and help attract more visitors through a new visitor centre, education centre and caf facilities.

New park entrances will be built with visitor information, signs, gates and art works. A new bandstand and performance area and seating will also be created.