Lottery boost puts wildlife park in line for £2.2m transformation

The money will be announced today by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund through their joint Parks for People programme.

The park, which covers 630 acres and is rich in wildlife and is four miles from the city centre, includes ancient woodland dating back to the 1600s and is also known for its mining heritage.

The Lottery grant of 1.46m represents almost 70 per cent of the total cost, about 2.2m, of the renovation project and means Leeds Council can now begin major restoration work.

The award has been made as part of a 6m funding package to four parks across England by the two Lottery grants bodies.

The grant to Middleton Park, situated in one of the most deprived areas of the city, will restore the main Victorian features and go towards attracting more visitors through a new visitor centre, education centre and cafe making the park more user friendly.

The project will also provide opportunities for training staff and volunteers in park management, ecological surveying and conservation skills.

Coun Judith Blake, whose ward covers the park, said: "I am absolutely thrilled that our bid for money from the Heritage Lottery Fund to refurbish Middleton Park has been agreed.

"This is wonderful news and a great reward for all the hard work done by local residents and the members of the Friends of Middleton Park who worked on the improvement plan.

"The planned improvements will breathe new life into the park and will mean that this historic area can realise its huge potential."

Executive board member for Leisure at Leeds Council Coun Adam Ogilvie said: "These ambitious plans will make a huge difference to Middleton Park and mean it is put on the same footing as its more famous neighbours Roundhay and Golden Acre.

"Once all the improvements are finished I am sure the park will become one of south Leeds's major attractions."

Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for Yorkshire and the Humber Fiona Spiers said it was important that everyone in towns and cities had somewhere free, green and open to enjoy their leisure time.

"This joint investment is helping do exactly that by ensuring parks such as our much-

loved Middleton Park continue to be looked after and have a major role to play." Of its

630 acres, 200 are ancient woodland, and there are also grasslands, two golf courses, two bowling greens, a children's play area and other recreational areas.

Middleton Park belongs to Wade's Charity and is leased to Leeds Council on a 999-year lease.

It is also home to Middleton Railway, the world's oldest working railway, founded in 1758, which was once used for transporting coal and still carries passengers between Hunslet and a halt on the edge of the ancient woodlands.

There are still bowl-shaped pits in the woods which are the remains of an early type of coal mining dating back to at least the 1660s. Over 270 shaft mounds have been found in the woods.

Two areas of the park have been designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument due to the presence of the coal mining remains.

Some work has taken place in recent years at Middleton Park, including the installation of stocks, which were once used for punishments.

Members of the Friends of Middleton Park also carried out a mining survey which was commended at the British Archaelogical Awards.