Ilkley’s award-winning Millennium Green finally looks set to pass into the hands of the town’s council.

The trustees of Darwin Gardens plan to hand over the nature haven and visitor attraction on Wells Road to Ilkley Parish Council in January.

The Darwin Gardens Millennium Green Trust plans to make the official handover at its annual meeting at the Christchurch, The Grove, on Wednesday, January 21.

“This will be a significant event insofar as the documents for the proposed handover of the trusteeship to Ilkley Parish Council will be considered and voted upon,” said trustee Ken Cooke.

Natural England, the Trust’s principal grant funder, has given preliminary approval for the transfer of trusteeship to the parish council, which intends to become the sole trustee for the Wells Road gardens.

The gardens were designed and created by residents as a lasting commemoration of the Year 2000, on rundown parkland close to the edge of Ilkley Moor.

Darwin Gardens has been a hit with visitors. It gained two out of three special Yorkshire in Bloom Millennium awards, and has gained the Green Pennant award for community projects for five years in a row.

As well as needing the go-ahead for the transfer to Ilkley Parish Council from Natural England, the trustees had to approach Bradford Council, from which the trust has a 999-year lease, to transfer this to the parish council if the handover is agreed.