Last week I took some time to visit Once Brewed, the current site of Northumberland National Park’s Visitor Centre. It will soon become the location of the planned new Landscape Discovery Centre; The Sill.
The Centre is set to create up to 156 new jobs when it opens in 2016, attracting up to 120,000 visitors annually. I think we will really see local businesses benefiting from this significant from this investment. A recent Economic Impact study predicted that the creation of the site would also contribute up to £3.35 million to the local economy in its first year alone, rising to £3.68 million per annum by 2021/22.
It's great to have such huge investment in our area especially in these tough times.
The Sill is a truly exciting project that will really help put Northumberland on the map. I have studied the design and it is innovative and spectacular, including a grass covered roof which includes viewpoints looking out over the valley below.
There are issues around traffic and access to be addressed but these can be solved. I have no hesitation in backing this huge investment in our local community, which will bring jobs in the short and long term.
I have had a number of meetings to discuss the project and I am convinced we will see increased visitor numbers and a big boost to our local economy. This is a very exciting project for everyone here in Tynedale.
Keep an eye on the blog for updates on how the project is getting along.
