Gloucester City Council's cabinet will be asked to approve £200,000 to help fund a new visitor centre next week.

With fabulous views of the Severn Bridge, the Malvern Hills and the Black Mountains, Robinswood Hill is one of Gloucester's most popular attractions and it could soon offer a modern visitor centre with a new café, public toilets, education centre and interpretation area.

The project would be in partnership with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) and could create a brand new energy efficient building with lots of natural light and other environmental features.

It could also become the new GWT headquarters and be a base for the wardens who offer information about the wildlife and history of the park which has 100 hectares (250 acres) of open countryside, viewpoints, pleasant walks, way-marked nature trails and a traditional orchard.

Inside the centre visitors could see new interpretation boards and screens and learn more about the hill's wildlife such as badgers, foxes and birds, and their habitats.

For café users an indoor seating area could also be available.

Cllr Colin Organ, cabinet member for housing and planning said, "Supporting residents to maintain a healthy lifestyle and look after their wellbeing is one of our priorities. By investing £200k into one of our city's greatest beauty spots we are achieving this goal whilst also offering educational facilities for local school children.

Work could start this autumn and could be complete as soon as spring 2019.

The whole project is expected to cost around £1,000,000. Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is prepared to invest £800,000 for a rebuild of their current headquarters and Gloucester City Council could add £200,000 for the visitor centre and café.

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