PLANS to return Lydiard Park to its former splendour have been put on hold because of concerns over the enormity of the task. Swindon Council applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in September for more than £4m to finance the project.

The venture was to include the restoration of a magnificent 10-acre lake, which once dominated the grounds but has been filled in since the early 1900s.

The council, which bought the stately home on the outskirts of Swindon in 1943, had earmarked £1.5m for the ambitious project.

But the Lottery Fund this week announced that it has put off making a decision on the bid because of the project's sheer scale.

A spokesman for the the Lottery Fund said: "The Trustees of the HLF considered an application for £4,172,000 from Lydiard Park for a project to improve the Park as a heritage site.

"HLF deferred making a decision on the bid because of concerns about the overall cost and scale of the project, and because of tough competition for our funds.

"However, HLF recognises that Lydiard Park is a popular local heritage amenity and will be working closely with the applicant to re-examine costs and develop plans for a smaller scale scheme."

Coun Ian Dobie, (Con, Haydon Wick) lead member for transport and environment, said: "The Lottery Fund is receiving so many bids nowadays that they are having to look at how to spread the funds around.

"We may have to turn it into two separate bids or adopt a more phased approach. I'm hoping we'll hear a decision before Christmas."

During the summer English Heritage archaeologists mapped the 260-acre park to create a picture of how it once looked. The restoration would have been based on their findings. The project is being carried out by Swindon Council, English Heritage, the Countryside Agency, power company Innogy and Swindon Chamber of Commerce.

Dennis Grant, chief executive of Swindon Chamber of Commerce, said: "Obviously it's a setback but it has been deferred, not cancelled, which is good news.

"The project involves such a large amount of money that it is inevitable it would incur such scrutiny.

"Maybe it was too ambitious to think it could be done in one bite, and we might look at spreading the project over a longer period or downscaling."

An English Heritage spokesman said: "English Heritage has been made aware that consideration of the grant application for the restoration of Lydiard Park was deferred by Heritage Lottery Fund trustees earlier this week.

"We believe this is due to increasing competition for the Heritage Lottery Fund budget.

"English Heritage remains strongly committed to this quality project, which will deliver great benefits for the people of Swindon. We look forward to the reconsideration of the project at the next meeting of the Heritage Lottery Fund."

The sight which greeted visitors to the park in its 18th century heyday was awe-inspiring, according to surviving accounts.

The lake would have reflected the stately home in its shimmering waters.

Built in the 1740s, the lake was drained in 1922 when a dam wall burst.

All these features were to be restored as part of the project, as well as the provision of visitor and school facilities.

aemery@newswilts.co.uk