A HUGE sailing mast the height of five double-decker buses could be installed in Burnham’s Riverside Park in a bid to create a tourist attraction.

Maldon District Council has applied for planning permission to place the 21-metre traditionally rigged sailing mast in the park.

It is hoped it will be a landmark for residents and visitors and will reflect Burnham’s sailing heritage.

The scheme is part of the Dengie Gateway Project which has seen £330,000 ploughed into the Dengie area in a bid to make it a tourist trap.

The proposal, if approved by the council, would be one of the tallest man-made structures in the district.

The lower portion of the mast will be made of steel with the upper section made out of wood.

The bid also includes solar uplight- ing. Richard Holmes, director for community services at Maldon District Council, said: “As part of MDC’s Dengie Gateway project we are now scoping the exciting proposal to install a large traditionally rigged sailing mast in Riverside Park, which will be a landmark for residents, attraction for visitors and reflect Burnham’s rich sailing heritage.

“A planning application has now been submitted and will be considered in line with normal procedures, we are hopeful that this will be approved and work can start in April this year."

The council has yet to decide if the mast will be built from scratch or an existing mast will be sought out.

If approved it will form another aspect of the ambitious Dengie Gateway plans which include proposals to extend Burnham’s pontoon, establish a 75-mile coastal trail and promote the district as a visitor destination.

Work on the schemes was expected to be completed in December but after seeking special dispensation from the government the council was allowed to continue the project into 2017.

Work already completed on the project so far includes a new tourism website, improvements to the Saltmarsh 75 event and improvements to the quay and Riverside car park in Burnham.

Elements yet to be completed include new signs along the Dengie coastline and work to further develop five locations identified as Saltmarsh Hubs.

The council expects the project to attract 50,000 more visitors and an extra £1.8 million tourism spend in the area.

Updates on the progress of the project are expected later this year.