Ambitious plans to create a café, two new play areas and improvements to paths on a green space in Mansfield have moved to the next stage as a planning application has been formally submitted.

Mansfield District Council Planning Committee will consider the proposals to create a Destination Park at Berry Hill around 20th November. A site visit will also be planned ahead of the meeting for the committee to understand the proposed enhancements.

In the meantime, the council will send out expressions of interest to contractors before a full procurement exercise is undertaken later this year.

Currently, Berry Hill Park sits within around 25 hectares of parkland with a diverse mix of woodlands, mown grassland, acid grassland and wildflower meadows.

The plans that councillors will consider include new and improved accessible footpaths around the green space, two new play areas, and a new building with a multi-functional space, café, and toilets. These features were taken forward in the proposals following public consultation in 2022 to identify the key priorities for the green space.

Sarah Troman, head of Neighbourhood Services at the council, said: “We are thrilled to have reached the next milestone for the project with the application now in for consideration.

“We have worked very closely with residents on these plans, considering all the consultation feedback to enhance the park as much as possible with our available funding.

“With construction costs and inflation still incredibly high, our budget to deliver the proposals is getting tighter, so we have prioritised the works to address the key issues raised in the public consultation and will also be looking at further external funding opportunities to progress those which we have not been able to fund in this project.

“The council is committed to ensuring the works at Berry Hill Park deliver a true Destination feel. I would encourage all residents to review the planning application to see what could be coming to the park in 2024.”

Funding for the £3.23m park works was made possible thanks to an allocation of £2.994m from the government’s Towns Fund. The shortfall will come from the authority’s existing capital budget for Berry Hill Park.

If planning permission is granted, the council aims to appoint a contractor by December 2023, with a start on-site in early 2024. The work could be completed by December 2024.