A COMMUNITY garden complete with wildflower meadow and growing space looks set to be created on a forgotten piece of land in Clevedon.

The town’s YMCA is hoping to secure a lease for the acre-and-a-half of overgrown hillside between Highdale Road and Highdale Avenue for members of its In it to Grow scheme to work on.

Clevedon Town Council agreed at a meeting on Wednesday to lease the land to the YMCA for 10 years.

It is envisaged it will take the rest of this year to clear the site of the layers of brambles which have been allowed to cover its floor. After that, assessments will be made as to what can be created where in the space.

Work will be carried out by members of In it to Grow; a YMCA programme which started in April and is aimed at teaching outdoor skills to unemployed, disabled and young people. The scheme has already seen a field near St Andrew’s Church off Old Church Road transformed into attractive space, complete with a newly-installed jubilee bench, a small garden with raised beds created at the YMCA’s site in Marson Road and produce grown at a town allotment.

YMCA chairman of trustees Neil Foster said: “In it to Grow has been very successful on three sites already.

“We have been looking for some more land to do something bigger, better and more interesting on.”

The YMCA is keen to hear from any community groups or individuals who would like to be involved in the project, for which it soon plans to apply for grant funding.

It is hoped that growing spaces will be created, hedges will be laid and a community garden and wildflower meadow will be planted to create a public space complete with themed areas to attract more wildlife to the area.

Neil added: “We want to create some beautiful spaces.

“We have got a five-year target to see the site fully utilised.”

* Anyone wanting to get involved can call the YMCA on 01275 878405.