Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
The Future of the Visitor Centre
The consultation period for the new visitor centre has now closed.
Many thanks to all who visited the exhibitions held across the county to discuss the plans and all who completed the questionnaire. Feedback from the exhibitions proved positive with 88% of returned questionnaires showing support for the project.
The results and all comments [PDF 152KB]
from the consultation have been fed back to the project team which will help them to ensure the final plans meet the requirements of all users in readiness for the planning application being submitted.
You can download the following documents and plans:
Proposed site plan [PDF 6.6MB]
Proposed floor plan [PDF 698KB]
Leaflet containing key information and questionnaire [PDF 1.2MB]
Information and frequently asked questions
Why a new visitors centre?
We’re proud of Sherwood Forest, and feel it deserves a visitor centre which is worthy of its legend and improves the visiting experience for tourists and local people. The existing visitor centre needs to be removed to help preserve the fragile ecology of the Forest, so generations to come can visit and enjoy the area. With this in mind we have created ambitious plans for an iconic new visitor’s centre which will be a major national attraction.
In 2002 an agreement was made between Natural England ( www.naturalengland.org.uk) and Nottinghamshire County Council which designated Sherwood Forest as a National Nature Reserve. Part of the agreement was to divert mass tourism from the most ecologically sensitive areas, one of which is where the current visitor centre is situated. Careful removal of the existing visitors centre will allow the site to be restored to woodland and heathland and take the pressure off the declining number of veteran oaks, many of which are over 500 years old.
The current visitors centre is now 32 years old; it looks tired and doesn’t do justice to the world-wide legend of Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest. Currently it attracts 400,000 visitors a year, this is much lower than in past years (in the year of the Kevin Costner movie for example there were 750,000 visitors) but the new visitor centre hopes to attract an increase of 25% of visitors. This will help businesses in the region by generating £7.5m of additional annual income and create over 300 new jobs in local trade and tourism.
What will be inside it?
The iconic new centre has the following proposed facilities:
- Welcome area - providing gathering / waiting space and a tourist information point
- Catering - including café and restaurant for up to 180 people, with an external terrace
- Retail - selling a range of products which are different from local traders, in order to enhance and not duplicate existing trade
- Learning - classrooms to educate school children and adults on conservation and the special ecology of Sherwood
- Multi purpose area - for conferences, weddings, functions or corporate use.
- Functional area – including public WCs and buggy store
The main attraction inside the centre will be a visitor experience, which takes visitors on a journey through a series of areas which educate and entertain. The main show is a circular 360 degree film presentation telling the history of the forest through the eyes of one of its oldest inhabitants - the Major Oak.
Where will it be?
Land for the new visitors centre has been purchased by the County Council from Thoresby Estates. Know locally as “Naish‘s Field“ the site is east of the B6034 aerial view of the new site [PDF 789KB] and in easy walking distance to the Major Oak with a proposed footbridge linking the new visitor centre to the National Nature Reserve.
The Living Landmarks proposals looked at the feasibility of closing the B6034. This proved very unpopular with local people. So it has been dropped. There is now NO intention to seek closure of the B6034 instead we are intending to make it more safe with traffic calming measures.
There are also plans to plant 3000 new oak trees on the new site to create new areas of Sherwood woodland and heathland for the future.
How will it look?
The design for the new building is a low, single storey curved building, which will blend into the landscape. The site is sloping, and earth banking and tree planting will help the building follow the contours of the landscape. Outdoor features will include a picnic area, a children’s play area and a large area for such activities as jousting and theatre. There will be ample car parking and to encourage sustainable travel there will be a bus terminal and extra provision for cyclists.
How much will it cost?
Nottinghamshire County Council has approved £8.5m from its capital funding for the project. East Midlands Development Agency (emda) through The Alliance Sub-regional Strategic Partnership has contributed £2m. Combined this gives the full £10.5m needed to deliver the attraction.
When will it open?
A planning application for the proposed plans will be submitted in 2009. Works would then aim to start on the new site in later in the year with an estimated completion date of 2010/11. Only when the new visitor centre is completed and opened will the existing centre close and work begin on removing it.
How will the old visitor centre be removed?
The procedure for removing the old visitor centre is being checked at every step with Natural England, who are the government's national watchdog for nature conservation. The County Council are acting on their instructions in removing the old centre.
As part of the planning process the County Council have to submit and get approved a detailed "Environmental Impact Assessment". This has to be scrutinised before any planning permission for work can be granted. The Impact assessment looks not just at what effect the new centre will have on the ancient woodland, but also the impact of removing the old facilities, and the precise methods intended to be used.
Tree experts have judges that some of the ancient oaks might well be damaged if all the old foundations were simply ripped out, therefore in cases where removing foundations could potentially harm ancient trees, they should be left and simply covered over.
And Finally.....
If you are a Nottinghamshire resident interested in plans for the new Sherwood Forest send your email address and we will keep you updated on progress. If so, please e-mail: sherwood.vc@nottscc.gov.uk with your contact details.
