A CHEPSTOW park has moved one step closer to getting a new lease of life after a long-awaited lease was agreed.

Community group Friends of the Dell Park Chepstow (FDPC) have been campaigning for more than two years to raise awareness about the “neglected” Dell Park.

In March, it was revealed that the lease on the land had lapsed and that negotiations between Monmouthshire County Council and the landowners, the Denny family, had stalled.

FDPC had hoped that the two parties could gather round a table and fix “the sticking point” of the lease and such a meeting has taken place – with a positive outcome.

Clare Adams, the FDPC’s chairperson, said: “We are pleased that we were able to arrange a negotiations meeting between the council and the landowners.

“Following this meeting we have successfully renegotiated the terms of the lease to be a 25 year lease along with permission from the landowners to fulfil our project ambitions.

“The Denny family were very positive about our plans and in an email sent to MCC said: “We think this an extremely worthwhile project and wish everyone involved every success.

“FDPC would like to thank both parties for their support in the project and putting aside past issues to put the community first.”

The Dell Park play area has been left without new equipment for decades, with FDPC being told that it would have to raise £100,000 to improve it. Now it is hoped that the signing of the lease will encourage grant-giving bodies previously turned off by a “lack of a secure and lengthy” lease will warm to the project.

The group have since met with a play designer from Bristol-based environmental consultancy The Landmark, who is drafting initial designs for the park. The designs will be informed by a design brief given to them by FDPC, which was put together following a public consultation and ‘design a park’ competition.

“With the 25-year lease in place we are positive that we have a number of funding resources we can approach to apply for significant funding to transform the whole area into a destination park Chepstow will be proud of,” said Mrs Adams.

A spokeswoman for MCC said: said “The agreement to a new lease and the support of the Denny family is a positive step forward in being able to upgrade the Dell play area in Chepstow – the Council very much sees this as a partnership project and we are happy to work with the Friends of the Dell Park group in progressing the proposed refurbishment works.”