PROPOSALS have been unveiled for what a play park could look like on an area previously likened to a ‘post-war bomb site’ in Launceston.

The Lanstephan Pocket Park group wants to transform a site off St Mary’s Road into a play area, and has already secured thousands of pounds of funding.

The funding the group has secured is a £10,000 ‘pocket park’ grant, £10,000 from Cornwall Council, £5,000 promised by the Rotary Club, and most recently £8,000 from Tesco’s ‘Bags of Help’. The group has also received a donation of six apple trees from Emma Smith via the Launceston apple tree trail project.

Chairman of Lanstephan Pocket Park Iris Lindsay said the first stage of work, resurfacing the area, will start on April 21, but more money will be needed to be able to complete all of the work.

The group has received architect plans of what the park could look like, and awaits costings.

Ms Lindsay added: “We are restricted on what we can do by the money we have got. We have still got a long way to go. We have got funding to apply for and we will certainly be doing some crowdfunding.”

Once costings have been received, the group will be able to prioritise the order of work with the money it has.

The proposals drawn up by the architects include a play tunnel, play ‘Castle’, climbing rocks and a slide, picnic seating area and sensory and wildlife planting areas.

The Bags of Help grant scheme for improving open spaces, managed through a partnership between Tesco and the Groundwork Trusts, re-opens for round two on April 18.

Councils and community groups of all kinds are eligible to apply to win £8,000, £10,000 or £12,000 to improve a local green space.

Also successful in the Post area for funding from Bags of Help was Black Torrington Playing Field Committee, c/o Black Torrington Parish Council, which was awarded £10,000 from the initiative. The committee aims to put in a new surface for its multi-use games area.

All of the detailed advice and application forms for Bags of Help can be found at www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme or from a community enabler. For Cornwall, North and Mid Devon, South Hams, Plymouth, Tavistock and Exeter, this is [email protected], 01208 871705.