AMBITIOUS plans to transform and refill Jacks Key Reservoir, in Darwen, are set to be unveiled.

The Environment Agency, in conjunction with the council and the county ecologist, wants to restore the former beauty spot.

Vital to its proposals are plans to ensure its long-term safety so that nearby homes are safe from flooding.

But the agency also said it was exploring the potential for a water feature and hoped to develop the potential for habitat creation.

A spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said: “Although we do not intend to introduce any wildlife to the area directly, we are looking to attract grassland.

“The reservoir is a biological heritage site, so there is potential for more things to be explored but we would need additional funds.

“We have looked at introducing fish into the water but that has been ruled out.”

Whitehall councillor David Foster is excited by the plans.

He said: “After the public consultation, I want to get a group of local people together.

“If the scheme goes ahead, these local people could enhance whatever happens through a friends group, similar to the one at the cemetery.

“If the Environment Agency is given the green light then it could be really nice up there.”

The executive member for environmental improvement and sustainability, Coun Faryad Hussain, said: “The reservoir is in a poor condition and is a potential flooding risk.

“The project is at a very early stage and we are working with the Environment Agency to ensure that the safety risks are minimised, while at the same time the area is improved for residents, walkers, cyclists and horse riders.”

The area at Jacks Key has been empty for some years, but now belongs to the Queen’s estate after the landowner went bust in 2005.