£50m forest centre plans on show

The centre is part of the council's £50m lottery bid

Members of the public are being urged to learn more about proposals for a new visitor centre at Sherwood Forest.

A display featuring plans for the new centre and designs for a £50m revamp of the forest are on show at Edwinstowe library for two weeks.

Nottinghamshire County Council is bidding for funding for the facility as part of the Big Lottery Fund's Living Landmark Award.

Council officials will be available to answer questions on the scheme.

Tree top walkways

A spokesman said that, regardless of the outcome of the lottery bid, the current visitor centre, which opened in 1976, will have to close by 2010 to protect the surrounding habitat.

Chris Baron, vice-chairman of the Sherwood: the Living Legend management board, said: "This doesn't mean we'll be reducing public access to Sherwood Forest or the Major Oak.

"In fact the path network will be improved with special routes for walking, cycling and horse riding created to help protect the fragile habitats in the National Nature Reserve and provide links to the wider Forest area."

The attraction is one of six to be short-listed by the Big Lottery Fund for its Living Landmark Award.

Other plans for the attraction include raised tree top walkways and a discovery centre.