THE future of the historic Rivington Terraced Gardens looks much brighter.

Initial support has been secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund to preserve the historic structures and features within the gardens.

It is part if a huge conservation plan created by United Utilities, the landlord, and environmental charity Groundwork — which has worked together with the Rivington Heritage Trust.

They have been awarded a development grant of £60,000 to develop detailed proposals for the restoration work, before moving to the next stage of the grants process.

Steve Fraser, United Utilities’ managing director, said: “For years we have been working with Rivington Heritage Trust to find a way of safeguarding this historic site.

“It’s fantastic news that we’ve reached this first stage, and testament to a lot of hard work behind the scenes.

“There’s more hard work to come but I’m confident that this is the start of a brighter future for the Gardens and the visitors who enjoy them.”

Rivington's Terraced Gardens, near Rivington Pike — were designed in the 1920s by Edwardian designer, Thomas Mawson — for the soap magnate Lord William Leverhulme.

They later fell into disrepair and became overgrown.

The new conservation project aims to carry out repairs to decaying structures, improve access around the gardens and make landscape improvements to give visitors a glimpse into the gardens’ past.

Groundwork’s executive director Andrew Darron, said: “We’re over the moon that we’ve jumped this first hurdle in securing the future of Rivington Terraced Gardens. These ‘lost gardens’ were once a rich man’s plaything, but we aim to ensure they’re able to be enjoyed by everyone and used as a site where people can develop new skills.”

If successful, the project will also research the garden’s fascinating history and display it in various formats — including digitally — for future visitors. The gardens could become a future heritage attraction for the region as well as a much-loved green space for the local community.

There will be lots of opportunities for people to be involved in the future of the site with a programme of training courses and volunteering taking place in the Gardens as part of the redevelopment work.