A second application to transform a piece of vacant land into a nature reserve has been officially submitted to the council.

Pendle Council’s green spaces team has applied to change the use of land to the south east of Fisher More School and to the north west of Marsden Golf Club, known as Gibb Hill, into a nature reserve.

The team submitted an application to Natural England to designate Gibb Hill as a Local Nature Reserve in March 2023, and also submitted plans to the council to change the use of the land, but withdrew their planning application the following month.

A council statement said at the time: "This application reflects the council’s commitment to preserving the land above Nelson and Colne as a local nature reserve to conserve precious ecology and for everyone to enjoy.

"The recent decision to withdraw the planning application was taken by council staff with no input from councillors."

Last month (January 2024) a second application was officially lodged with Pendle Council, which outlines a management plan for the site, and a design and access statement.

The management plan reads: “Gibb Hill local nature reserve is owned and managed by the greenspaces team of Pendle Borough Council with the assistance and promotion by the Hillside Heroes community Group.

“The complete site and its existing biological heritage site (BHS) make up a mosaic of terrestrial habitats of mostly woodland and meadow with several small watercourses.

“This plan replaces and builds upon the original management plan for the BHS section and now includes the entire site including potential improvements to the site in terms of both wildlife habitats and visitor access.

“The plan is subject to a five yearly full review with intermediate revisions carried out on an annual basis or as required.

“The plan seeks to be aspirational but sets out an agreed approach between Pendle Borough Council and the sites key stakeholders including the members working group, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, town councils of both Nelson and Colne to the management and development of the site.

“It is acknowledged that situations change and as such the management plan must be a flexible working document which should be reflected in the annual review of the document.

“The management of the site will be funded with a mix of existing budgets and external funding bids. This may include capital monies from other council budgets, grants and section 106 funding from developments close to the reserve.”

Gibb Hill local nature reserve is primarily used by local people for quiet recreational pursuits such as walking, exercising dogs and watching wildlife.

Members of the working group and green spaces team resolved that the land is not to be developed for residential use.

Terms of such an agreement have not yet been agreed, however the site has now received designated status as a Nature Reserve from Natural England.

The land was temporarily let for grazing use to a nearby famer but has remained vacant since 2005.

The land will effectively remain as open land with no buildings or structures being erected at this stage.

Should any buildings or structures be considered in the future then a further application will be submitted if so required.

In 2023, councillors agreed the Gibb Hill Working Group would take on the management of the reserve once it was designated, an agreement which is believed to still stand in 2024.

There will be no parking on the land, but the reserve will be open and accessible 24 hours a day and additional litter bins will be sited throughout.

In 2022 Cllr Ash Sutcliffe, who chairs the Gibb Hill Working Group, said: “Gibb Hill is highly valued by local people and has meadows which are of Biological Heritage Status which means they are of great importance to wildlife. It totally fits the bill to become a Local Nature Reserve.”

Anyone wishing to comment on the plans has until February 26 to do so.