A REFURBISHED pavilion, restored memorial area, and spruced up walkways are at the forefront of plans to spend £1million improvements to a popular park.


Basildon Council has revealed its plans for Wickford Memorial Park, in Rettendon View, even though it is still trying to find the majority of the money for the two-year project.


Almost half of that money, £439,000, will be spent on doing up the park’s pavilion for community use, as well as a cafe and changing rooms for sports teams who use the park’s playing fields.


Trees to commemorate soldiers who haven’t been previously recognised will be planted in the Memorial Avenue while the Garden of Peace will be restored, and works will take place to improve walkways near to the River Crouch.


But the authority is only providing £68,000 towards that £1million figure, with the rest coming from grants, donations, and S106 contributions.
The council has managed to get £320,000 in grant funding from the Veolia Pitsea Marshes Trust and is also bidding for money from Sport England and the BIG Lottery Fund to try and get the project moving.

So far, it has just under half the cash required for the revamp.


Alan Ball, chairman of the Wickford Action Group, said: “We are happy for any inward investment in Wickford. We welcome this latest initiative as it does not involve the selling of land or any building to pay for it as this is the correct way to go and Wickford will benefit from a regenerated and vibrant park.”


David Harrison, vice-chairman of the group, added: “We hope the bids for money are a success and this does not end up in failure like the Wickford masterplan.”


In April, the authority was told that its bid for cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund was unsuccessful, so officers have now tabled bids to other organisations.


Kevin Blake, the Tory administration’s cabinet member for leisure and the environment, said: ”Although external funding cannot be guaranteed, we are working hard to ensure we will be able to deliver significant improvements to a fantastic facility for our residents.


“The plan is for the park to be a base for the community to enjoy the nature and open space as well as top quality facilities.


As part of this, a Highcliffe Neighbourhood Group has been set up, and it is hoped community volunteers will help publicise and maintain the park, as well as run the pavilion’s café.


The role of volunteering officer will be created to co-ordinate this, at a cost of £120,000.


It is hoped that the park’s enhancements will eventually lead it to attain Green Flag status, which is barometer of well-run and maintained open spaces.


If the authority is successful in its funding applications, work will start in March next year and will be completed by the end of 2015.