Campaigners who fought to save Calderstones Park from a controversial housing development have been given the go ahead to bring acres of previously under-threat land back into public use.
The south Liverpool park could be expanded by a generous 4.5 acres after the council handed members of Save Calderstones Park the keys to the former depot and botanical green house site, where plans to build 51 luxury houses were scrapped following a High Court ruling .
The group say they want to create a wildlife meadow where people can meditate and relax - and will start clearing the site next week.
It follows their hard-fought battle to block the building of Redrow homes on part of the Harthill Estate, which resulted in a High Court judge quashing planning permission given by the council over two years ago.
The council argued that the land in question - which included a riding school, a model railway and the ex-council depot - was not accessible to the public.
But they suffered a dramatic and high profile defeat after campaigners successfully argued that the land was part of Calderstones Park and should not be built on.
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Months after their victory, campaigners have finally been granted access to 4.5 acres of the previously under-threat land, allowing them to bring it back into public use.
The ex-depot area is fenced off and overgrown, but could be transformed into a wildlife area where people can escape from the busier parts of the park such as the play area and cafe.
Caroline Williams, head of the Save Calderstones park group said: "This is our first venture moving forward. We have been given the keys for the area where the depot was.
"We are going to have a public consultation about what people would like to see there. We need to be realistic and have something not too expensive to maintain but that can be used by the public.
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"We were thinking of something like a wildlife meadow with more trees and more planting.
"We need a quiet area in the park. It's so busy near the cafe and the mansion. If we have an area where people don't have to spend money but has a few nice benches and trees, that's more feasible.
"It would be a quiet extension of the park, a mediation area. We would keep it wild but plant it up and allow the public to have access."
The Friends of Calderstones Park Group are meeting with the council on Wednesday to discuss their proposals and are hoping to secure funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to achieve their ambitions.
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Caroline added: "I still can't believe we have actually saved those areas. This feels like vindication of everything we said and did.
"I just feel completely thrilled by the idea we can restore the area to park use."
The first stage of the plans will see Conservation Volunteers get together on the May 1 and 2 to start clearing up the area.
Caroline said anyone wishing to help is welcome - but will have to register first so they are covered by Public Liability Insurance.
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The work that is planned is to remove wood and felled tree trunks and to cut back brambles to form a path through this area of the park .
People have been asked to email fhcp30@talktalk.net with their details if they plan to attend.
