Work is set to begin of a £90,000 environmental centre in ancient Billericay woodland.

The contract to carry out the work is being put out to tender by Basildon Council, with work due to begin in September.

The Government-supported Cleanaway Pitsea Marshes Trust has provided the cash to undertake work on the centre, which will be located in the 165-acre Norsey Wood nature reserve.

The woodland has long been a top venue for schools for environmental studies, but a lack of modern facilities has so far meant it was impossible to cater for large groups of schoolchildren.

Trust chairman Doug Benjafield said: "This could have resulted in many local students of all ages missing out on the opportunity of seeing and exploring at first hand this ancient woodland.

"I am delighted the trust and its trustees have been able to support such a worthwhile venture - a project which will yield dividends in education and environmental awareness for decades to come."

The trust was set up under a government scheme which allows waste management companies to provide funding to protect and enhance the environment on the communities they serve.

When complete, the new centre will feature new classrooms and elevated areas designed to enable extensive use of microscopes, plus new changing rooms and display areas.

The trust has already pledged more than £2million to local projects, and is planning to spend £10million on various community and special interest groups over the course of the next decade.

A council spokeswoman said: "Norsey Wood is an area of countryside which has huge importance for nature both locally and nationally and we are very grateful to Cleanaway Pitsea Marshes Trust for its funding, which will enable us to build wonderful educational resource for local people."

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