AMBITIOUS proposals for a seven-figure revamp of Worcester’s Fort Royal Park have moved up a gear – with council chiefs on the verge of submitting a bid for lottery cash.

Worcester City Council , which wants to secure £1 million of Heritage Lottery funding, has said the application is on track to be handed in within the next three weeks.

The council, which has pledged £250,000 of taxpayers’ cash to add to the kitty, has also revealed how it plans to beef up the investment further.

Council officials are looking at securing about £70,000 in contributions from private developers, taking the total in funds for Fort Royal Park to more than £1.3 million.

As your Worcester News first revealed in February, the money will go on a new play area, revamped landscaping and a general overhaul of the site.

The bid was agreed behind closed doors and is now set to be handed to the Heritage Lottery Fund before August 31.

Councillor Roger Knight, cabinet member for cleaner and greener, said: “We’re on track with it. During the meeting we decided we were happy to go and submit the bid.

“The council has already committed £250,000 of its own money and on top of that, we’re now going to add some more.

“The park will be an integral part of the application we submit but there is a lot to it on top of that.

“Nothing is guaranteed but we are very hopeful.”

The park has huge historical significance because it was part of the site of the Battle of Worcester in the 1651 English Civil War.

Some of the other improvements include restoring boundary walls, new flowering, a viewing point and telescope.

The council will hear back from the fund by the end of December.

People can still submit views to the council on what they want to see added to the package for the park.

E-mail communication@worcester.gov.uk or even use Twitter with the hashtag #fortroyal.