The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is to create Britain’s biggest urban wetland nature reserve from more than 1,000 acres (43.6 million sq ft, 4.05 million sq m) of industrial wasteland in the Tees Valley.

With an estimated cost of around £4.1m, the reserve will be developed in partnership with the Teesside Environmental Trust.

Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of soil, clay and industrial waste is currently being moved from the site before landscaping of the site can begin.

There is already a wildflower meadow that has been created on part of the land.

New lakes, pools, grasslands and reedbeds will also be built. It is hoped that rare species such as bitterns and marsh harriers could become regular nesting birds.

Other wildlife, such as mute swans, grey herons, butterflies, water voles, dragonflies and kingfishers will also have habitats especially created.

Visitors will enter the site via a drawbridge over the surrounding water. Facilities at the reserve will include an education centre, cafe, exhibition space and offices.

It is hoped that the centre will attract 100,000 visitors a year and will open in 2008.

An RSPB spokesperson said: “Salthome will be a fantastic new wildlife experience for the north of England.

“More people than ever before will soon be able to enjoy the wildlife to be found around the Tees estuary. This is a flagship regeneration project for the Tees Valley in the 21st century.” Details: www.rspb.org.uk