A community is celebrating a big slice of £20.6m lottery funding being awarded to boost an area of Mitcham.

The running track where 1936 Olympic silver medallist Dorothy Tyler trained is set to get a re-vamp with money awarded to the Cricket Green area today.

The grant of just under £4m from the Heritage Lottery Fund will be used to restore Canons House and the surrounding grounds in the Cricket Green area.

A sensory garden, new wildlife pond and natural play area will be created and the park will also be the venue for food production, composting and rainwater harvesting.

Wimbledon Times:

Canons House in Mitcham. Photo: Sandra Vogel

The 12th century Canons is a conservation area and includes three listed buildings.

Canons House and Madeira Hall will get a make-over, with perhaps a brand new cafe linking the two but the regeneration ideas are still in the planning stages and community groups are appealing for people to have their say on how the money should be spent.

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Left to right: Sandra Vogel, John Davis, Peter Ficher and Jane Plant outside Madeira Hall 

It is the latest good news for Mitcham, which is under-going a transformation as part of the council-backed Rediscover Mitcham project to re-vitalise the Fair Green area.

The funding bid was submitted in August last year by Merton Council in partnership with community groups including the Mitcham Society, Friends of the Canons and the Mitcham Cricket Green Community & Heritage.

Sandra Vogel, secretary of the Mitcham Society, said: "It is very exciting.

"It has been a long process.

"We want to repair the running track so people use it, there are plans for a fruit garden, and to make the Canons and Madeira Hall more attractive - it’s in a bad condition."

The Canons is one of only seven public parks across the country to get funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.

It was awarded the second highest amount of funding out of the seven winners.

Merton Council’s cabinet member for community and culture, Councillor Nick Draper said: "This is really fantastic news for Mitcham.

"The Canons is a beautiful building in a lovely setting, and for years I’ve felt that the whole area should be more attractive and accessible to the people of Merton and to Mitcham’s visitors.

"Rejuvenating the Canons to make the most of its wonderful history and to meet the needs of all our residents will complement the host of exciting plans for the town centre through the Rediscover Mitcham project.

"A big thank you to everyone who gave their feedback last year about what improvements they’d like to see for the Canons.

"Thanks to the funding, our dreams and ideas will at last become a sustainable reality."

To get involved in the plans for the Canons, email Ms Vogel on info@mitchamcricketgreen.org.uk.