PLANS to turn the city’s riverside into an award-winning park could see a £300,000 boost if councillors approve plans next week.

The money would go towards improving the riverside - which would take in almost 84 hectares from Pitchcroft in the north to Diglis in the south - in a bid to obtain a prestigious Green Flag award.

The award is only handed out to parks which have been judged to meet a very high standard on categories such as cleanliness, sustainability and heritage.

Worcester City Council’s environment committee will be asked to agree to the £300,000 investment as well as formally define the area of the Riverside Park at a special meeting next Thursday (November 27).

Councillor Alan Feeney, vice chairman of the environment committee, said: “More than £5 million has been invested in the riverside in recent years, and it is now an increasingly popular destination to walk, cycle or relax and enjoy the wildlife and beauty of our city.

“Our hope is that we can make it an even better place by developing its credentials as a park that is good enough to achieve Green Flag status, so I hope the committee will support this investment.”

If backed, the money will pay for improvement across the riverside including footpath repairs, new signs and information board.

The riverside was assessed by Keep Britain Tidy under their Green Flag scheme earlier this year but whilst judges hailed it as a very attractive and vibrant destination with lots of activities and high quality environments, it felt that it fell short of the standards needed to secure the award.

The city council has prepared an improvement plan with the aim of helping the park take the final steps to success.

The plan includes the creation of a clear identity for the park with signs, maps and way-finding information to encourage residents and visitors to explore the riverside.

Research would be carried out into the history and wildlife of the area, to feed into the information boards and to inform maintenance and landscape improvement work.

If the £300,000 investment is supported, the council will hire a landscape architect to manage some of the improvement work.

The city council is also looking at separate improvements to the riverside including a new footbridge linking Gheluvelt Park and Kepax and a new path from Diglis Bridge to Carrington Bridge.