A COMMUNITY could gain a £60,000 public garden as early as spring next year after plans have taken a step forward.

The Friends of the Hill have submitted a planning application to create the community park on the corner of Glebe Road and Salters Lane to Darlington Borough Council.

The application comes as the group is preparing to submit a bid for £50,000 to fund the garden to the Big Lottery's Community Spaces fund.

If both applications are successful, work will start in February, with the garden expected to be completed by April 2012.

The group, who are being helped by regeneration charity Groundwork North East, are hoping to get the community involved with work on the garden.

Residents will be invited to volunteer to help with creating raised beds and planting.

The park will have several allotments to help to teach community groups about growing.

Experienced gardeners from Glebe Road Allotments have agreed to hold sessions for other residents to show them the basics of gardening and help children understand where their food comes from.

The historic area formed part of a salting route, used before 1730 to sell the substance to farmers and small holders for meat preservation, and the heritage will be reflected in the park's design with wood carvings and other decorative features.

There will also be an orchard, a composter, and a habitat area for birds and insects.

The garden is on the site of the former Beaumont Hill School, next to an estate being built by Tees Valley Housing.

The friends group adopted the land from the council to create the garden. It is the first time a community group in Darlington has adopted land from the council for this purpose.

Groundwork's Lisa Locke, who is overseeing the project, said community involvement was a key part of the garden.

"After the building work has been done, we are wanting groups to come forward to help build the raised beds and plant the gardens.

"Everything in the garden is linked to Salters Lane as they want to bring in the history.

"The group also want to use it as an educational space and get as many people as possible involved to give the community ownership of the garden."