Stafford's Victoria Park restoration secures final £1.7m funding

Victoria Park in Stafford can undergo its £2.5 million restoration after £1.7m was awarded to the scheme by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Plans were approved for the restoration work, which will include a new cafe, an improved aviary and a new amphitheatre, back in May this year.

The £2.5m project is made up of £1.7m from the National Lottery and £800,000 from Stafford Borough Council. Work is expected to start in January.

Councillor Mike Smith, the council's cabinet member for leisure, said: “It is tremendous news that we have secured this funding from the HLF to go ahead and improve on what is an already popular park.

“Victoria Park is a jewel in the Stafford crown and an important gateway to the town for visitors arriving from the railway station. We want to ensure it will continue to be a beautiful haven for local people and visitors to enjoy for many, many years to come.

“This work is about restoration. We want to bring back and restore historic features so they are not lost for future generations - while improving on existing facilities using the feedback from residents, park users and those who play an important role within the park.”

HLF’s chief executive Ros Kerslake added: "“It’s difficult to overstate the importance of our public parks. Vital to our well-being and essential to biodiversity, they are highly valued spaces enjoyed daily by people from all walks of life.

"Victoria Park is one of the latest parks to benefit from over £900million of National Lottery funding, which over the last twenty years has played a crucial role in revitalising more than 800 parks across the UK.”

Victoria Park is more than 100 years old and has been awarded the ‘Green Flag’ - a mark of one of the best parks and open spaces in the country – since 2007.

Those wanting to see the proposed improvements to the park can take a virtual tour on www.staffordbc.gov.uk/hlf