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£600,000 to boost Bedfordshire Beauty Spot - [12-04-2007]

A Bedfordshire tourist attraction has been given a £600,000 boost.

The Chilterns Gateway Centre project will provide visitors with a greatly enhanced experience through the build of a new shop, café, meeting space and car parking facilities. This will benefit the 400,000 people that currently visit this area of outstanding natural beauty already.

The centre itself will incorporate sustainable features such as:

A natural ventilation system;
‘Grey water’ harvesting for toilet flush;
Woodchip boiler for heating and hot water, with woodchip from local, sustainable managed sources;
Solar powered car parking metres.

The Gateway Centre, located on the edge of the Dunstable Downs, is a National Trust project which has environmental issues at its heart. The East of England Development Agency, (EEDA), is giving £600,000 to the £3.1 million project.

Its aim is to provide a flagship environmentally led regeneration project, which will improve access to this important landscape, close to major urban areas which are set for growth over the next few years, including Luton and Dunstable.

EEDA’s head of development, Tony Bray said: “This is a tremendously important development for Bedfordshire and the region as a whole. EEDA’s investment in this project reflects our commitment to achieving the sustainable development of the East of England – making sure that the growth of our towns and cities is accompanied by investment in our most precious green spaces.”

In addition, the centre will be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and, by providing fully accessible routes linking other sites, it will ensure that everyone can experience the fantastic scenery and wildlife the Chilterns have to offer.

Tony Bray added, “the design of the building is a stunning addition to the natural landscape and, with the access improvements, should be a further reason for people to visit this already popular location. The way in which the building incorporates features that reduce its environmental impact should be an inspiration to all those who visit.”

High quality interpretation on the history and importance of the area will also be a key feature, enabling people to learn more about the site. The completion date for the project is spring 2008.

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