Work is underway to develop a new £14.2 million visitors facility at Northumberland National Park.

Construction firm Sir Robert McAlpine have now began building 'The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre'.

The new facility aims to open up the national park and its surrounding landscape to more visitors.

It will offer all-weather, year-round facilities including charity YHA Youth Hostel accommodation, exhibition spaces, an education/training programme, retail facilities, a café and a restaurant.

The construction phase is set to create approximately 100 jobs during the projects 18-month timeline.

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Working alongside Sir Robert McAlpine are architects, Jane Darbyshire and David Kendall (JDDK); planners Cundall; landscape architects, Glen Kemp; interpretation designers, Bright 3D; structural and civil engineers, Patrick Parsons and project managers, Gardiner and Theobold.

The Sill is scheduled to open in 2017.

Northumberland National Park Authority Chairman, Councillor Glen Sanderson, said: "The beginning of construction work on The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre marks a truly exciting moment in Northumberland National Park's history.

"We're very much looking forward to seeing the building and subsequent activities and events take shape over the coming months."

Andrew McAlpine, Director at Sir Robert McAlpine, added: "As a responsible contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine is deeply committed to the natural environments and the communities we operate in.

"That's why we are so proud to be playing our part in this wonderful project. As construction work starts, we look forward to building on the relationships established so far as we work with the rest of the team to deliver this important new asset for the North East."

(LM/MH)