PLANS to create visitor facilities at a tourist attraction have been unveiled.

Dalby Forest, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, is to get a £4.3m investment to bring in more tourists and boost the economy.

Artist's impressions of a £2.5m visitor centre were showcased on Monday by officials from the Forestry Commission, Yorkshire Forward, the regional Government Office and Ryedale District Council, who have joined forces to fund the project.

The centre will be built at Sneverdale, half a mile from an existing facility.

It will offer information points, a classroom, restaurant, ranger offices and twin domes to house large telescopes, which will be operated by Scarborough Astronomical Society.

Buildings around the existing visitor centre will be converted into craft units, a resource centre, office space and a bike hire outlet.

Plans are also being put together to create more than 40 kilometres of single-track mountain-bike trails, as well as a £100,000 high-level activity course, called GoApe, giving thrillseekers a chance to take to the treetops.

Work on the project got under way when a dozen young broadleaf trees were transplanted to safer ground.

Unveiling the designs, forest manager Andrew Smith said: "Dalby Forest is the Forestry Commission's jewel in the crown and deserves 21st Century visitor facilities. We can now make a start realising our ambitions.

"The benefits to the local economy will be immediate and significant. The courtyard development will become a hive of activity, offering rural enterprises high quality commercial space."

Planning permission for the developments has been secured and the work is due to be completed by 2006.