Beddington Park is to be given a £3.7m makeover to restore it to its former glory.

Sutton Council this week secured lottery funding for upgrades to the 58-hectare park, which stretches across Beddington, Hackbridge and Wallington.

The overhaul will enlarge the children’s playground, restore the Grange Gardens, improve entrances, footpaths signs, parking and access, and create a new garden in the churchyard extension.

The park’s lake will be dredged and shrubs and herbaceous plants will be replaced.

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The work, to begin later this year, will be carried out using a £3.01m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund’s Parks for People programme.

Mary Morrissey, strategic director of environment, housing and regeneration at Sutton Council, said: “We’re delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this financial support. The redevelopment of Beddington Park through the HLF and Big Lottery Fund Parks for People programme is of major significance to the borough.

“To secure a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of just over £3m is a magnificent achievement for everyone involved in submitting the grant bid, particularly our residents. This will make Beddington Park more popular than ever with residents and borough visitors. It will showcase how Sutton is a great place for green open spaces.”

Sutton Council spent four years drawing up plans for Beddington Park’s makeover, which will cost £3.7m in total, and lodged a bid for the grant earlier this year.

The funding is part £30.7m announced by the HLF on Friday for work on 16 parks across the UK.

Sir Peter Luff, chair of the HLF, said: “It’s clear that our parks are important to us in countless ways – from physical and mental wellbeing to a connection with nature and our heritage.

“It’s also clear, however, that public parks must work in new ways to respond to the funding challenges they face and this investment, thanks to National Lottery players, will help them to do this.

“We’re delighted to announce this funding today, especially in time for the tenth Love Parks Week, and look forward to a bright future for these parks.”