DOOMED Spen Moor is to receive new protection in the latest bid to save the land from developers.

Planning bosses have officially thrown in the towel when it comes to saving the site through the courts.

But they are determined to give the area, south of Bolton Road between Bury and Radcliffe, some protection against developers until a rematch can be fought in two years' time.

Councillors have this week decided to award Spen Moor a second-best status of Other Protected Open Land.

This might be enough to stop landowners Peel Investments building on the site, albeit only until the borough's Unitary Development Plan (UDP) runs out in 2001. The entire UDP will then be up for review, and the council could once more argue that there is enough land in the borough set aside for housing to justify Spen Moor claiming Green Belt status. Council leader Derek Boden said: "It doesn't give the same protection as Green Belt but it's a hell of a lot better than nothing. We think we have safeguarded the site for at least two years."

Coun Boden was not keen to see Bury lose another lengthy and costly legal battle, but he said it would do whatever it could to save the land.

"That's what we're aiming at, but whether we will be able to achieve it in view of what's happened is open to question."

But the council's actions have drawn strong criticism from local environmental campaigner Dave Bentley.

He says the council has wasted massive amounts of money by going through the courts, while he and his colleagues have given the site some protection already. Their discovery of rare plants, insects and the legally-protected great crested newt helped persuade the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit to make much of the disputed area a Site of Biological Importance (SBI).

Mr Bentley, who is standing as an Environment and Wildlife candidate in May's local elections, says this designation would allow Bury to save the site under its wildlife protection planning policies.

But that is disputed by the council.

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