COUNCILLORS have welcomed Dorchester Borough Gardens' new status on a register of historic parks - and say it will boost their chances of Lottery cash.

The town council's recreation and allotments committee agreed that the 19th century gardens' new position on the English Heritage register was "excellent news".

And they are optimistic that their bid for money from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which is due to be submitted in just over a week, has benefited from it.

Town clerk Dennis Holmes said: "This is a nice boost for the council as it recognises the importance of the gardens and the fact they have been well maintained over the years.

"It can only help to preserve them and help to enhance the chances of our submission to the Heritage Lottery Fund."

He added: "The bid is due to be submitted at the end of next week or the beginning of the next."

Coun Stella Jones said: "This is excellent news.

"We have already been recognised as having one of the best small parks in the country in a national newspaper review last year.

"This shows we were right to spend time and money in preserving the gardens for the future."

The Borough Gardens were recently featured as a Grade II site on the 'English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England' for the first time.

The aim of the register is to protect important parks and gardens and increase public awareness of them.

Inclusion in the register means that local authorities are required to consult English Heritage and the Garden History Society over any planning applications.

Developers Plincke Landscapes, of Winchester, have put together the lottery bid to transform the Borough Gardens, a scheme, which is likely to cost more than £750,000.