FAMILIES are being urged to have their say on a £230,000 revamp of a town centre park.

The first designs for a facelift of Sandbach Park will go on display at the town's library next month.

Sandbach Partnership is working with the town and Cheshire East councils to improve the park.

It wants to enhance leisure facilities, encourage healthy living and use the park to improve the image of the town and its retail economy.

It has appointed Ryder Landscape Consultants to speak to residents and draw up designs reflecting their needs.

Residents are being urged to visit the library from 10am to 2pm between Monday, March 15 and Saturday, March 20 to comment.

A spokesman for Sandbach Partnership said: "Feedback received from these consultations will be taken into account before the final version of the design is approved.

"There will also be an opportunity for people to become Friends of the Park and to become involved in the implementation of projects and future care of the park."

At present, £125,000 has been secured for the project from Sandbach Town Council, £45,000 from Cheshire East Council and additional funding from developers as a condition of planning permission.

It is anticipated further external funding can be generated.

The designs are based on the views expressed by park users and residents through consultation exercises before Christmas.

They include children's play areas, youth facilities, adult recreation, environmental improvements, and visitor provisions.

Consultants Stuart Ryder and Alice Cooper will be at the library to explain the designs and discuss any points raised the public.

Elsie Alcock, aged 65, chairman of The Avenues Tenants and Residents' Association, said the upgrade of the park had been widely welcomed by residents.

She said: "Nothing has been done with it for so long.

"I'm sure improving the facilities will mean it will be used by a lot more residents.

"A lot of residents who live on Tatton Drive and Congleton Road use the park as a short cut so it will make the journey much nicer for them as well.

"I'd like to see a small amphitheatre in the park, but am not sure the money will stretch that far."

Christine Deakin, aged 59, of Townfields, Sandbach, said her grandchildren use the park.

She said: "The park is on a big bank, which is good for sledging in the winter, but makes it difficult for playing sport.

"It would be good if they could provide a flat area where people could play games."