A SCHEME to return Salisbury's Victoria Park to its former glory moved a step closer to becoming a reality last week, after the district council was given the green light to apply for a £1.2 million pound lottery bid.

In its heyday, Victoria Park, which is the oldest public park in the city, included a bandstand, tennis courts, cricket and football pitches, cycle ways and beautiful landscaping.

However, years of neglect have led the district council and a Friends of Victoria Park Committee to come up with a plan to restore the park to its former status as one of the city's prized possessions.

They hope to completely refurbish the park by installing new footpaths, perimeter fencing and lighting, landscaping the site and possibly constructing new buildings, and a new bandstand.

This plan moved a step closer to fruition when it was announced that the council had been given the go-ahead to come up with a project plan, conservation plan, an access audit, an audience development plan, and sketches for new buildings, which will all go towards the lottery application.

City Area Committee chairman, Cllr Mike Osment, said: "This is great news for Victoria Park as it means we can go ahead and try and secure the funding we need to return it to its former glory.

"This is an ambitious and complex project that will involve input from a range of specialist experts as well as our own staff.

"The council's parks team will now work closely with the Friends of Victoria Park who will be instrumental in working up a detailed project plan for the park which we can submit to the Heritage Lottery Fund."

Chairman of the Friends of Victoria Park, Penny Brown, added: "Victoria Park is a very much loved place in the city and we hope the whole community will support our efforts in trying to restore the park for the benefit of everyone who uses it."