AMBITIOUS plans have been unveiled for a new £150,000 country park on Mersea .

West Mersea Town Council hopes to merge four existing fields and a wood to create the 12-acre West Mersea Park.

A wildflower meadow, a fitness trail, a skatepark, nature trails, sports pitches, a pond and an outdoor classroom for island schoolchildren are all included in the proposal.

The council’s environment committee is now in talks with landowners to secure the site.

Town councillor Peter Clements said: “It is in the conceptual stage.

“We want to open it up for access and hope it will become a major asset.

“It is going to take time. We can’t seek grants until we have agreements with the landowners.

“Once we start applying for funding, we can get things moving. We want to build it up bit by bit.”

The site lies to the north of Barfield Road and takes in the school gardens, the area of village green known as Youth Field, Legion Field and Reymead Meadow and woods.

Mersea Island School owns Legion Field and its governors are getting legal advice on donating the land for the project.

An agreement would include a clause allowing the school to claim back the land at six months notice.

The outdoor study area would be in Reymead woods and give pupils a chance to study outside of the confines of the school.

The project – including its most expensive element, a six-figure skatepark, replacing the current portable skatepark provided by Colchester Council – would be funded by grants from a range of bodies.

Town clerk Dave Tucker said: “It would combine all that open space and woodland so all could enjoy it for their leisure.

“It’s early days. There is already a trim-trail and flower meadow there, which we will be looking to enhance.”

Much of the site would need extensive drainage work, the removal of hedges and fences and work to make the woodland safer.

Youth Field and school gardens are owned by Essex Council but are leased back for community use.

Reymeads is jointly owned by West Mersea and Colchester councils.