Delay likely for Sherwood Forest visitor centre

Plans for a new £5.2m visitor centre at Sherwood Forest are likely to be delayed for about five years, according to the county council.

The centre had been due to open in 2012, but funding cuts mean projects have been "re-prioritised".

John Cottee, cabinet member for culture and community, said the authority remained committed to the project.

The Tory-led council has said it needs to make £150m of savings in three years due to the government's spending cuts.

Plans to close Sherwood's existing visitor centre at Edwinstowe and build a replacement facility nearby were initially drawn up in 2006.

Scaled back

The proposals were scaled back earlier this year when the county council dropped plans for a conference and function space on the site.

On Wednesday, a report to the cabinet is likely to recommend pushing back the opening date to 2015/16, with a new design being drawn up over the next three years.

Mr Cottee said: "We need to find savings and the investments we are doing on the council, we're having to prioritise what we do."

He added: "We're having to find £70m in the next financial year, of which £40m will be reinvested into adult and social care and children and young people.

"But that doesn't stop the council investing. We've had to look at projects that are required and Sherwood Forest is on that list and we are committed to doing it."