Burgess Park in Southwark, London, is to undergo an extensive £6m revamp after the plans were given the green light by the local authority.

Southwark Council is proposing to remove redundant roads and pathways; to create a range of different wildlife habitats; and to expand and improve the lake. London mayor Boris Johnson has contributed £2m through the Help a London Park scheme, while £4m of match-funding will come from the Aylesbury New Deal for Communities.

It is hoped the first phase of the park improvements will be completed by March 2012, with work to be carried out with the help of local groups and the Burgess Park project board. Southwark Council cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling Barrie Hargrove said: "This planning approval is a massive step towards a new and exciting Burgess Park.

"The opportunities presented by these plans come around once-in-a-lifetime, and this is great news not just for users of Burgess Park but for Southwark as a whole."