A £14.8m national park development in Northumberland has been given the green light to move into the construction phase.

Members of the Northumberland National Park Authority approved the decision to move forward with The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre project.

Representatives of the Authority have now agreed cost proposals put forward by the contractors Sir Robert McAlpine.

The firm will work closely alongside core design team including architects Jane Darbyshire and David Kendall (JDDK); planners Cundall; landscape architects Glen Kemp; interpretation designers, Bright 3D; Structural and Civil Engineers, Patrick Parsons Limited; and project managers, Gardiner and Theobold.

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The initiative has received widespread backing, including £7.8m pledged by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) earlier this year.

Construction of the new visitors centre is set to begin at the Once Brewed site later this month, starting with the demolition of the current National Park Visitors’ Centre and Youth Hostel at the site.

Demolition works are expected to take approximately six weeks.

Tony Gates, Chief Executive of Northumberland National Park Authority, said: "I am delighted that we have taken the decision to proceed with this ambitious and innovative project.

"It will be open all year, offering a wide range of facilities including YHA accommodation, exhibition space, retail facilities and a café and restaurant. The Sill will, I believe, change how we as a National Park Authority does business and it will become a landmark asset for Northumberland and the North east."

Andrew McAlpine, Director, Sir Robert McAlpine, added: "Sir Robert McAlpine is proud to be working with the Northumberland National Park Authority to deliver this inspiring new building which as well as promoting understanding of some of our finest landscapes will provide significant economic benefits to the local community."

The Sill is expected to be fully operational in 2017.

(LM/CD)