Architect unveils gallery design

David Chipperfield has taken on the task of making the gallery a reality

New plans for an art gallery in Kent have been unveiled after the cost of previous designs rose to £50m.

Margate's Turner Contemporary gallery will now cost £17.5m to build and will be on land instead of offshore, which was the vision of the abandoned plans.

Architect David Chipperfield has published a design for the Rendezvous site at Fort Hill.

It is hoped 100,000 visitors a year will be attracted to Margate after the gallery's scheduled opening in 2010.

Mr Chipperfield said: "We would all look rather stupid if we replayed the mistakes of the last effort.

"On the other hand I think everyone would be disappointed if we ran away from all ambition."

Young artists

The architect added that one of the gallery's biggest assets would be its "incredible window towards the sea".

"When you're inside the museum, I think it's very important in this case to enjoy the spectacular location," he said.

The gallery will include a main exhibiting area on its top floor, with another area exclusively for young artists to display their work.

There will also be an education room, shop and cafe.

Director of the Turner Contemporary, Victoria Pomery, said it was hoped the gallery would help to regenerate Margate.

"It's about what's in the gallery that's going to be key in driving visitors.

"Not only visitors from here in Thanet, but from other parts of Kent and from the rest of the UK and international visitors as well."