NEW Mills residents should find out by the end of next month whether or not a popular but run down play area is to get a multi-thousand pound makeover.

In January, Ledbury Town Council agree to put £1000 into the pot for the Browning Road Outdoor Spaces and Play Area (BROSPA) project for the Browning Road play area, and this money was the kick-start needed for grant applications.

Head of the BROSPA project, with is made up of New Mills residents, is town councillor Paul Winter.

Cllr Winter said: "Funding applications gave been submitted and it's just a case now of waiting until end of May to see how successful we've been.

"We need £24,000 to for the equipment and all the ground work, extra bins and seating".

Various grant potential grant channels have been approached, including Awards for All and Severn Waste Services, the company

which runs the recycling plant on the Little Marcle Road.

Beginning in 2013 with a statement of intent, BROSPA members then carried out a survey involving forty school children, to help draw up a wish list for the play area, before putting together an action plan.

The group hopes to replace a large climbing frame and football and netball goal; to introduce new equipment and to "brighten up existing structures.

One idea considered by BROSPA is to re-align the small football and basket ball pitches so that balls do not fly into thorn bushes and are burst, and local residents are less likely to have balls flying over into the gardens.

With funding in place, the purchase of equipment and commencement of works could begin by the end of 2015.