GREEN space close to Accrington town centre will be officially recognised as a nature reserve.

Councillors voted to designate Priestley Clough, also known as Woodnook Vale and Platts Lodge, as protected green spaces with further plans to give the same recognition to other pieces of green space at some point in the future.

The plans are part of a council target to designate two Local Nature Reserves (LNR) by 2010 and a third by 2013.

Until now Foxhill Bank was the only designated site in Hyndburn, after it was granted the special status in 1999.

Woodnook Vale, already a popular and recognised beauty spot, already has large areas which are designated as biological heritage sites and has a number of European protected species.

Following the completion of the national cycle network route to the site, visitor numbers to Woodnook Vale are expected to be around 70,000 per year.

By designating the site as an LNR, the council, in a joint initiative with Lancashire County Council, accepts a special responsibility to make sure the land is protected.

As councillors approved the plans on Tuesday, council leader Coun Peter Britcliffe said: “I think this is a wonderful part of Acrignton and I am delighted that it is being designated a nature reserve. We have a lot of tarmac and terraces in Accrington and this site is a real breath of fresh air for many people.

Coun Lynn Wilson, portfolio holder for Leisure Art and Parks, said: “It is an amazing piece of Accrington and by making it a nature reserve we increasing the amount of designated land and preventing the area from having a shortfall of nature reserves.”

The plans will cover land in the vicinty of Priestly Clough including Platts Lodge, Bullough Park and Rothwell Heights as well as wooded areas next to King George playing fields in Accrington.

Woodnook and Millerfold Allotments will also be covered.

Several highly valuable habitat sites have also been identified by the Wildlife Trust as future nature reserves.

These include land next to Miller Fold Avenue, Ley Allotment in Baxenden, Scaitcliffe Scar near Platts Lodge, woodland at the rear of Woodnook Mill and parts of ancient woodland at Priestly Clough.

The ownership of woodland areas and Scaitcliffe Scar are unknown but they could be considered for future nature reserve plans.

Other candidates include Peel Park and Coppice, Star Delph Quarry/Harpers Clough in Great Harwood and Jackhouse Reservoir in Oswaldtwislte.

A number of other sites are still to be assessed.