LOVED-UP couples may soon be able to tie the knot in the new £2.2million heritage and visitor centre at Pitsea’s Wat Tyler Country Park.

Basildon Council backs the idea and has already put the wheels in motion to allow alcohol to be served there for wedding receptions and other functions.

Meanwhile, builders have nearly finished work to extend and renovate the old ammunition factory in the Pitsea park.

The centre will include a plush cafe, restaurant, a courtyard with barbecue facilities and a balcony with room for 24 chairs and six tables.

Steve Prewer, open spaces manager for Basildon Council, said: “We hope to have all the work finished, so the centre will be ready to open by the end of June.

“We will be able to cater for receptions with as many as 140 guests. There is also a bit of space for dancing.

“We’re already getting bookings and are making provisions so the caterers will be able to serve alcohol.

“The cafe has fantastic views looking south towards the creek and east towards the marshes.”

The council’s development control committee approved plans for the centre in September 2007, and work got under way a year ago.

Mr Prewer said the centre’s education facilities would be another attraction, as would regular exhibitions.

He explained: “There will be exhibitions charting the social and industrial history of the park and the surrounding area.

“And it’s going to be an environmentally-friendly building. The heating will be provided by a wood chip burner, using wood taken from fast-growing pine trees planted on the landfill site next to the park.

“Water falling on the roof will be used to flush the loos and also on our plants and wetlands.”