Nottinghamshire County Council has unveiled the latest plans for a £5.2m centre to ensure the legend of Robin Hood lives on at the world-famous forest.

The proposals include a visitor experience, café and gift shop to educate and entertain people and a design for the new centre is being developed.

The plans have come forward following a review by the authority of all its capital projects and replace a previous scheme costing more than £9m put forward by the council.

Coun John Cottee, cabinet member for culture and community, said: "The new centre will be a vast improvement and a great attraction where visitors can enjoy refreshments, buy souvenirs and learn all about the legend of Robin Hood before they explore the beautiful forest and its ancient oaks.

"We have cut back the costs, but not the quality. Visitors will be able to enjoy a modern visitor centre with great places to eat, buy gifts and learn all about Robin Hood and his famous home.

"Plus, we are looking at different designs that are modular, so that if we are successful in acquiring money from other funding streams the attraction can be further developed."

Operational

The plans will no longer include a conference and function space or a bridge over the B6034 – which were both proposed under the previous scheme.

A planning application will be submitted later this year and work is set to start in spring 2011, with the current visitor centre remaining open until the new one is operational.

Local county councillor Les Ward, who is also an Edwinstowe parish councillor, said: "I am pleased for the village. It is something to start with and I hope they would want to build on it in future years. We need it so let's get started."

He said he did have some concerns about how people would cross the B6034 to reach the visitor centre from the Major Oak — but the council says traffic-calming measures are proposed.

Sherwood MP Paddy Tipping said: "I think it is a building with some attraction. I am disappointed that it has taken the new administration at the county council a bit of a time to make their minds up.

"I am pleased they have pressed the green button and it is going forward. We are a bit behind the possibility of benefiting from the new Robin Hood film which comes out in May. Potentially, the tourism benefit for north Nottinghamshire is immense.

"I have also been talking to them about investing in Sherwood Forest with things like new footpaths, cycle tracks and trees planted."

And last week Mr Tipping gave a speech in Parliament about the importance of Sherwood Forest becoming recognised as a regional park, saying there needed to be action taken by the partner organisations to bring this forward.

The county council is also working with Nottingham City Council and Experience Nottinghamshire to boost tourism this year when the new Robin Hood movie is released.