THE public are being given the chance to have their say on the restoration of Philips Park which is poised to benefit from a grant of £44,200.

Residents can have an input into how the cash, which has come courtesy of the Heritage Lottery Fund, will be spent by Bury Council as it begins drawing up a restoration plan.

Two public consultation events are to be held: the first, hosted by Friends of Prestwich Forest Park, will be held at the Memorial Hall, Longfield Suite, on February 21 at 7.30pm; the second will be on April 14 between 11am and 2pm at the same venue, when draft proposals will go on show.

The Whitefield park was the home of the Philips family and developed by them between 1790 and 1946.

It was acquired by Whitefield Council in 1948, passing to Bury in the 1970s.

The Philips's house was demolished in 1948 but the estate farm and house stable block survive. The farm shippon, or cow house, was turned into a countryside centre in 1996 and the stable block was used as a nightclub and function suite until last year.

The purpose of the restoration plan is to identify viable uses for grounds and buildings and will hopefully form the basis of a major park restoration funding bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

A restoration plan was previously prepared in 1998 but not followed up because of conflicts with the nightclub operation.

The building is now back in the possession of the council and can be included in the plans for the park.

The restoration plan is being prepared by historic park restoration consultants Lanarca, in conjunction with architects Lloyd Evans Prichard, who were involved in the restoration of Heaton Park, and business analysts Pat Laughlin Associates.

The £44,200 grant was awarded under the Parks for People programme, which is operated by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.