Park revamp set to begin after badger delays

A £3m revamp of a park is to start after it was hit by a series of delays including the discovery of several badger setts.

Wyre Forest District Council said work on Kidderminster's Brinton Park in Worcestershire would start this summer.

The budget includes £2.4m in lottery cash but the authority's cabinet will be asked to release an extra £460,000 on 10 June to make sure the scheme remains on track.

Work will start with the construction of a new artificial badger sett to protect local wildlife.

The council said a key part of the improvements included replacing the aging Sons of Rest pavilion at the park, which was found to be in a worse condition than expected.

Structural engineers told the council it needs to be demolished and rebuilt, a spokesperson for the authority added, with an application to be considered at the next available planning committee meeting.

The new pavilion would reflect the historic character of the original and include a new café and terrace overlooking an ornamental pond, they said.

Councillor Tracey Onslow said the park was one of the area's most popular green spaces.

She said the improvements would "not only protect and improve the park's natural beauty and heritage, it will also create welcoming new spaces for everyone to enjoy".

Work will start with the construction of the new sett and demolition of the pavilion would follow shortly afterwards, if the application was approved, the spokesperson said.

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