Plans have been lodged to transform abandoned tennis courts into a brand new off-lead dog play park.

Dartford council wants to bring the old and dated facilities behind Acacia Hall in the town’s Central Park back into use.

The grass tennis courts have been out of action for more than ten years and are currently overgrown and full of brambles.

Planning permission is now being sought to convert the 1,557 sq m plot into a secure, off-lease complex for people to bring their pooches.

It would feature an exercise and training area for up to 10 dogs and their owners at a time.

If approved, work will be carried out to clear the overgrowth, repair existing fences and install play equipment, two dog bins and two benches.

Six zig-zag posts and two low-level jumps would also be added as apparatus for the animals, alongside signage under the site's proposed name, “Central Bark”.

The area would be cleaned every day, with the grass regularly cut by the same council contractor.

Although the park wouldn't be staffed, it will be monitored by the council’s park rangers.

It would be open for the same time as Central Park from dawn to dusk, with times differing throughout the year.

There will be no artificial lighting if the project is given the green light.

To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here.

So far, only two members of the public have commented on the scheme with both registering their approval.

One Watling Street resident said: “It would be a good idea if the area was available to book, given that some dog owners have reactive dogs but this is fab news for dog owners.

“I hope there will be more built in the future.”

Another added: “This would be a great idea.

“I am constantly using Dartford park to walk my puppies and the top field is scary when it gets dark it would be great to have somewhere to let my dogs run around which has good lighting and benches.”

Large parts of the Grade II listed Acacia Hall estate have been revamped recently as part of a multi-million pound overhaul of the site.

The historic events venue was most recently used as a temporary home for the town’s library services while the main building in Central Park received a makeover.

Works were delayed by the onset of the Covid-19 which also led to rising costs – but the project has now been completed, as well as related River Darent restoration works.

Following its completion, the Acacia Estate now boasts five buildings, including a Victorian mansion house, a sports hall and a former coach house.