Ambitious plans to save the only surviving tea clipper of its kind in the world, the Greenwich-based Cutty Sark, have been unveiled by the Cutty Sark Trust.

The trust hopes to receive £11.75m of Heritage Lottery Fund money next January to begin a £25m refurbishment programme which would save the famous visitor attraction.

The programme would include raising of the ship up on a dry berth, the reinstating of some of her sails and the construction of a base that would portray the vessel cutting through waves.

The most ambitious plans, however, would see the ship suspended in a Kevlar web during the revamp, allowing visitors to walk underneath the ship and offering the opportunity to observe the conservation work in progress.

Within the glass canopy, access to the ship would be improved and learning zones, entertainment facilities as well as catering facilities would be constructed.

Richard Doughty, chief executive of the Cutty Sark Trust, said: “The ship already has a successful track record as a heritage destination, but needs a capital injection to re-energise her as a sustainable 21st century visitor attraction.

“Our plans have been formulated now because of the physical condition of the ship. Unless we act quickly, the trust will be forced to close the ship as a public attraction in 2007.”

If the application for lottery money is successful, the trust expects construction work to begin by September 2006 with completion due in 2009.