PROPOSALS to make a famous landmark visible to residents have been submitted to the National Lottery's heritage fund.

Visitors to Princes Risborough used to be able to see Whiteleaf Cross, a chalk outline in the Chiltern Hills.

But it has disappeared due to subsidence and erosion. A major project has now been put together to enable the cross to be seen again by a partnership formed between Princes Risborough Town Council, Risborough Countryside Group, Buckinghamshire County Council.

Francis Gomme, of Risborough Countryside Group, said the project includes a number of schemes round Whiteleaf Cross, looking at investigating its ancient and modern history and preserving local wildlife which thrives round the area.

He said: "The Whiteleaf Cross site has been an important part of history for thousands of years. We will be examining all the history up there."

The project to restore the cross is planned to take three years and is estimated to run into six figures. Costs are high because engineering work is needed to lift the cross up so it can be seen again while preserving wildlife.

Onyx Environmental Trust has already pledged £75,000 for its restoration with major financial support coming from Buckinghamshire County Council and the landfill tax.

But the Heritage Lottery Bid is crucial to the success of the project in providing funding for a number of historical projects on the site.

Margaret Dewar, cabinet member responsible for the county's countryside, said: "It's essential that we preserve this important site for future generations to enjoy."

The outcome of the lottery bid is expected in the autumn.