SPORTS pitches, a campsite and a showground are among ideas put forward for a country park as part of a new development plan.

West Wiltshire District Council has started work on an improvement plan for Southwick Country Park and is investigating a range of possible uses for the land.

Other options being considered for the site include a nine-hole golf course, mountain bike, skateboarding and BMX facility or a lake for water sports. Terry Chivers, the council's community and leisure portfolio holder, said feasibility studies were being carried out so potential funding could be found.

He said: "We want to ensure that improvements to Southwick Country Park are properly costed and can be included in the budget round for next year.

"This is a site that offers us some exciting possibilities and we have the opportunity to develop it into an excellent leisure facility for local people."

The council's cabinet has approved a broad plan for developing the park, based on encouraging uses such as walking, cycling, orienteering, nature conservation and controlled use by dogs.

There was a public outcry last year when the council withdrew the offer of a lease to a charity project that promises to provide jobs for 40 young people with learning difficulties.

The council granted planning permission for the Hope Nature Centre in 2002 but withdrew the offer of a lease in September because of a leisure and recreational needs survey to be carried out across the district.

The nature centre group had raised £200,000 for the project, which former mayor Cllr Grace Hill chose as one of her two charities.

After protests from supporters the council voted to reinstate the lease in March and a spokesman this week confirmed the new plan would not delay work on the centre, which could start as early as next month.

Public consultation on the future of the park has already been carried out with interested parties and through the People's Voice citizen's forum. The next stage will be to carry out a study on each of the options put forward.

Council spokesman Louise Knox said: "It is very early stages. At the moment we are drawing together the broad ideas that have come out of consultation in order to carry out proper research and costings on the various options."