PENDLE Hill will benefit from £3million in lottery funding to attract more tourists if a bid for cash is successful.

The area was chosen by the committee for the Forest of Bowland AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) to be the subject of the bid for the lottery’s Landscape Partnership Scheme.

Pendle Hill was chosen because it ‘requires special attention to ensure conservation of the landscape character’.

Mike Williams, tourism manager at Pendle Council, said: “The Landscape Partnership outcomes seek to benefit people, heritage and communities.

“One of the key drivers is to attract and involve new audiences to connect with special landscape, for example people from local towns and neighbouring urban areas who don’t normally access the countryside.

“Two key potential benefits of the bid are that local people in Pendle’s towns that do not currently benefit from their local countryside will be more attracted to do so, and the project would raise the profile of the area as a visitor destination. helping to support local businesses.”

The committee will find out if stage one of the funding bid has been successful in October. If it is, they will have to submit a second bid in spring next year.

If the bid is successful, projects could include recruiting more volunteer rangers to patrol the area, improving access to the hill and surrounding areas, refurbishing Barley and Spring Wood cabins and educating visitors to respect the landscape.