Parts of Medway have been included in a bid to join worldwide landmarks such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.

Medway Council agreed unanimously to support proposals for the east coast wetlands, which includes parts of the Hoo Peninsula and land surrounding the River Medway, to be put forward for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) world heritage site status.

If accepted, England’s east coast wetlands – a network of unique coastal habitats from the Humber Estuary down to nature reserves along the River Thames – would be considered a natural site of global importance.

The areas that are home to 155 different species of birds would also be better protected and receive funding for conservation efforts.

Currently the UK mainland has two world heritage sites, the Dorset and East Devon Coast and the Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) put forward a bid for the wetlands to be included in the UK’s list of possible sites to nominate for world heritage status and it was accepted in April.

Cllr Michael Pearce (Ind) put forward the motion to support the bid at last week’s full council meeting where he said: “This part of the country rivals some of the most iconic natural places on the planet, and includes one of the most important networks of wetlands.

“It is a refuge for millions of migratory birds, including over 300,000 on the Hoo Peninsula alone.

“The beautiful area around the Hoo Peninsula and north of Rainham would be included, if successful, and would benefit from the designation.

“What a wonderful thing this would be if we had a world heritage site in our area.”

Both Conservative and Labour groups supported the motion and it was agreed unanimously to aid the bid.

Cllr Simon Curry (Lab), portfolio holder for climate change and strategic regeneration, said: “This is a hugely important issue. The east coast Atlantic flyway is one of the most important migratory bird routes in the world and millions upon millions of birds use it every year.

“Already, as a council, we are now working in partnership with the nature recovery scheme that’s been launched this summer with Kent County Council and the Environment Agency (EA).

“I’ve been meeting with the RSPB and the EA, Bird Wise, and the Medway and Swale Estuary Partnership on this very issue and I’ve got further meetings coming up, so as a group we are fully supportive of this.”

Tory leader Cllr Adrian Gulvin said: “In younger times I’ve enjoyed sailing on the River Medway, and in the quieter moments, watching the wonderful wildlife that we’ve got passing through is fantastic, it’s breathtaking.

“We have a wonderful asset with those marshes and mudflats. To get the protected status I think would be wonderful.

“We’ve got to accept that some of the peninsula will have to be built on, but let’s make sure that what is not built on has this sort of protection and those beautiful things we’ve got will be preserved for future generations.”