£3.5m

AGAINST all the odds, a lottery windfall has been won for the restoration of Lydiard Park, one of Swindon's rare historic jewels.

Some £3.5 million has been put aside by the Heritage Lottery Fund for the restoration of 260-acre Lydiard Park, it has been announced.

Yet, only three weeks ago, the trustees of the lottery fund had reservations about the rescue bid because of the overall cost and the sheer scale of the project.

Money from the lottery fund will be paid to Swindon Council in two parts. The first instalment of £430,000 will be received in the New Year, enabling detailed design and survey work to be started.

As long as the preparatory work does not identify serious problems, then the remainder of the cash will be handed over in 2005.

Although a formal application has to be made for stage two in 2005, HLF spokesman Alex Gaskell revealed to the Advertiser that the full amount had yesterday been put aside for Swindon.

Councillor Nick Martin (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms), the chairman of the Lydiard Park Project Board, said: "This is the trigger we've been waiting for. Now it's full steam ahead. We really were beginning to bite our fingernails, wondering whether our bid would be approved.

"But we believed we had a sound case and there is great determination to bring back the glory days to Lydiard. Now it looks as if it's really going to happen."

He said running costs are not likely to be incurred by the council until 2008.

He also predicted that the annual outlay for upkeep and maintenance would be modest.

He added: "This will not impact on council tax for several years to come and, when it does, the tab to the public will be minimal and a very small price to pay for preserving our heritage."

Bob Hook, English Heritage's lead co-ordinator for Lydiard, predicted great benefits for Swindon.

"This has the prospect of offering the public the chance to get involved in the archaeological aspects of the restoration," he said.

Tracey Stevens, the director of The Countryside Agency, said she believes its national Renaissance Of Country Parks campaign will benefit from the Lydiard funding success.

Lydiard Park was once a medieval deer park. Later, Georgian landscaped gardens, lawns and lakes were added around the Palladian mansion.

Although enjoyed by 250,000 people every year, its deterioration has proved a headache to the council and heritage organisations.

The plans include restoring the great lost lake which lay at the bottom of the lawn and was drained in 1922, the castellated dam wall, the ornamental garden, the ice house, paths and vistas.

Facilities for visitors will also be updated. A council spokesman said the involvement of schools and other sectors of the community will be part of the project.

Opportunities for the public to participate in archaeological and environmental activities will be announced by the council in the New Year.

Council leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawns) said: "Lydiard is without question one of Swindon's historical jewels and a much-loved public amenity.

"With this funding we can look forward to restoring Lydiard to its former glory for the whole of the community to enjoy, meeting the aspirations of the former town clerk, David Murray-John, who was instrumental in purchasing the site in 1943."

The council had earmarked £1.5 million for the restoration which, with the lottery fund money, will total about £5 million.

English Heritage archaeologists have recreated pictures of how the park looked in its 1740s heyday.

Michael Litchfield