Dreams of bringing a sailing barge back to its original working dock are a step closer to reality.

A berth at Lower Halstow has been offered for the next 25 years to allow the restoration and operation of the Westmoreland which is believed to be the last of its kind in Kent.

The parish council agreed to the lease when members met at the village hall on January 6, provided the trust, which was set up to oversee the £1 million project, is successful in its bid for Heritage Lottery funding.

Until then it only has a temporary lease of 27 months during which volunteer members of the Westmoreland Trust Community Interest Company (CIC) must submit their application.

Greg Diddams, vice chairman of the trust, said: “This is a great step forward. “We’ve been negotiating with the parish council for the past year because in order to start the bid we needed a home for her – somewhere where we could rebuild her and work her from.

“And, as she is a Lower Halstow barge, we felt it was appropriate to take her back there. The temporary lease arrangement suits both parties because the bidding process is competitive and so there is no guarantee we will get the money.

“If there is no money then she will never be rebuilt so it’s very much about mounting a successful heritage lottery bid.

“If we are successful we will need to raise around £100,000. This can be made up of volunteers’ time but I’m sure there will also be some fundraising involved as well. “We’re very positive but it’s going to be a long process.”

Once up and running she will be used in the summer for day trips and will take part in barge matches on the Medway, Swale and east coast rivers.

In the winter she will be a heritage centre at the dock, accessed via Lapwing Drive, Lower Halstow. For updates, visit Facebook page Thames Sailing Barge ‘Westmoreland’.