A new nature reserve for Hounslow is a step closer, with initial plans now drawn up to transform the "neglected" park where it will be based.
A bird hide and a newly formed backwater off the River Crane, which children could use for pond dipping, are among the latest plans for Northcote Recreation Ground, in Isleworth .
Proposals to turn the open space, known locally as the Pit Park, into a wildlife haven were first mooted earlier this year and local residents have been working with Hounslow Council and conservation groups to make them a reality.
Vanessa Smith, who chairs the newly formed Friends of Northcote Nature Reserve group, said the initial plans - including a wildflower meadow and a "bird hotel" - had been broadly welcomed during a meeting held at the end of May.
She said the priority was to remove some trees which were contributing to erosion of the riverbank, and it was hoped this could be done quickly by Hounslow Council .
Transformation could take five years
She added that she hoped the vision could be fully realised in five years, with the next step being to secure funding for the work.
"We want it to be an attractive spot, which people of all ages enjoy using, and we're confident we can achieve that," she said.
Ms Smith said the friends group was working to address concerns raised by some residents on the Richmond side of the river about their homes being overlooked.
She said the friends group hoped any trees which were removed could be used to create a natural play area for children in the park.
The latest plans for the park have been drawn up by architect and local resident Dean Griffiths.
The park was at the centre of a public row last year after being leased by the council for horses to graze upon, without residents on the Worple estate having been consulted.
The horses were moved at the end of 2015 and the park, believed to be named after its former use as a Victorian rubbish dump, was closed for rolling and re-seeding by the council.
The friends group has applied for the site to be granted "village green" status, which would protect it against future development, but Ms Smith said there was no news yet on the application.
