THE RESTORATION of Lydiard Park could start as early as September if a £3.1m lottery bid is given the go-ahead.

The Heritage Lottery Fund, which has already backed the project to allow initial work, is being asked to help fund the £5.3m scheme to reverse the decline in the site's rich historic parkland.

The most dramatic part of the project will be the restoration of the lost lake and major improvements to the current upper lake.

The upper lake, which is believed to be of medieval origin, will be managed primarily for wildlife.

Thelower lake dates from before 1700 but has been largely dry for nearly 100 years. It is thought that part of the dam collapsed and was finally breached in 1911 after a long period of neglect.

Aquatic plants, like the native yellow water lily, will be established in the restored lower lake and a fountain put in to help control algae until the natural biology of the restored lake achieves a balance.

Coun Mike Bawden, leader of the council signed the £3.1m application a part of the total needed to finance the scheme to the Heritage Lottery Fund yesterday.

"Protecting our heritage and environment is a key priority for the council and is something that matters to all of us residents, employers and council alike, so I am delighted that the restoration of the landscape at Lydiard Park has taken another significant step forward to establish the park as a national attraction," he said.

The management and business plan will be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund by January 31, along with restoration designs, plans, drawings and documents.

The Lydiard Park Project, involving the council, English Heritage, The Countryside Agency and the Department For Environment Food and Rural Affairs, is a £5.3m scheme to restore Lydiard's historic landscape and upgrade visitor amenities on the 260-acre site the historic grounds of Lydiard Park.

Last month the Adver reported that BMW Group and Intel UK Ltd had signed up as business partners to the project, joining established business supporter RWE npower and bringing the total cash commitment from businesses and other agencies to £446,000.

Swindon Council has committed £500,000 to the restoration works.

In February last year the authority found out that the Heritage Lottery Fund was backing the project by giving an initial award of £430,000 to allow detailed design and survey work.

The council will hear in the summer if this bid for a further £3.1m is successful and works should begin in autumn 2005.

The plan is to restore the principal garden features including the lost lake, the massive dam wall and the ornamental fruit and flower garden.

At the same time the council is planning to upgrade visitor amenities, enhance local people's opportunities for education, access, recreation and for generally enjoying their park.

House of history

There has been a house at Lydiard since before the Domesday Book (1086) and it was originally one of many houses owned by Alfred of Marlborough.

In the 12th Century the estate passed to the Troisgots family and a corruption of their name gave us Lydiard Tregoze, which is used to distinguish the area around the house from the nearby village of Lydiard Millicent. Lydiard House passed to the Grandison and Beauchamp families until 1420 when it was acquired by Oliver St John.

In the following 500 years, the St Johns produced several interesting characters who helped to give the house its colourful history.

Open to the public since 1955, the estate was bought for the town in 1943.

Around 250,000 a year people enjoy the grounds and the woodland trails.

Isabel Field