OPTIONS to revitalise Barnoldswick's Victory Park and improve its facilities for more local users were unveiled this week.

Four options have been announced, costing as much as £1 million and mostly centred on redesigning the underused pitch and putt area and rebuilding the outdated pavilion.

Pendle Council has tried before to win lottery funding for a new pavilion, but was told it should be part of a wider scheme to improve overall sports facilities in the park.

At the same time, local rugby league club West Craven Warriors has been trying to establish its own home ground in the area.

Now a number of options have been worked up for the park, and Pendle Council wants the views of local people and sports organisations before deciding which one to pursue.

Option one is to install a rugby pitch and training area on the current pitch and putt site, between the pavilion and the new Meadowcroft housing development.

Option two is to provide a single rugby pitch on the pitch and putt course, taking up less of the site and costing less money.

Option three, the cheapest, is to install six par three golf holes on the current pitch and putt site.

Option four, the favourite at this early stage, is to relocate the cricket pitch onto the pitch and putt site and provide a new rugby pitch on the existing cricket pitch at the park.

All the options would include building a new sports pavilion on the site of the existing building, with better changing facilities.

At a press launch on Tuesday, Coun David Whipp said the four options had come about after discussions between councillors, council officers and sports groups.

"We are looking at ways to revitalise Victory Park and provide more facilities for more people, and hopefully some space for West Craven Warriors - the only rugby club in the area," said Coun Whipp. "We are also looking at a completely new pavilion and changing facilities, to open up the park to more users."

The improvements would also mean looking at car parking facilities in the park, and another element could be floodlighting the bowling green and building up a thriving bowls club around it. For younger people, a "wheel park" could be established similar to the one in Skipton's Aireville Park.

"We want to provide something positive for the kids who go down to the park," said Coun Whipp. "Another possibility would be a lit multi-purpose games area."

Initial estimates put the cost at up to £1 million, depending on which option is pursued. It is hoped most of the money would come from Sport England, part of the National Lottery, but other funding sources could include the Football Association and other sports organisations. Lancashire County Council might also chip in, as improved facilities at the park could benefit children at Gisburn Road School, which has no sports grounds of its own.

Clubs that already use or would use the facilities could get involved in fundraising, as the National Lottery would want to see evidence of community involvement before approving a grant.

Coun Whipp explained that the option to relocate the cricket pitch was the early favourite because it seemed to benefit most people. It would allow Barnoldswick Cricket Club - one of the biggest sports clubs based at the park - to make big improvements, which it couldn't do at its current ground. The new pavilion would look out onto the relocated cricket pitch.

At the same time, it would provide an excellent rugby pitch on the existing cricket ground, opening up the park to a new use and benefiting one of West Craven's younger sports clubs.

The next step is to gather public opinion and the plans are currently on display in the Barnoldswick Council Shop, on Station Road, with forms available for people to put their comments on. Next Tuesday, May 1, there will be a public meeting at Barnoldswick United FC's function room, at its ground in the park. The meeting starts at 7pm and all interested parties are invited to attend and express their views.