A new, £5m state-of-the-art visitor centre at the site of the battle of Bannockburn will be built in time for the next year of Homecoming in 2014, Minister for Culture Fiona Hyslop announced today.

The landmark project will see Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland work in partnership to deliver a world class visitor attraction incorporating an immersive digital experience designed to transport visitors back to the fourteenth century battle.

With Scotland hosting the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup in the same year, the project will encourage international visitors to spend more time – and more money – in Scotland. Early estimates of the economic impact indicate a 30% increase in visitors to the centre, taking it from 65,000 to 85,000 annually, with 100,000 expected in the first year.

This latest investment comes ahead of the completion of the ambitious £12 million Stirling Castle Palace Project expected in Spring 2011. This will see the restoration and refurbishment of the Royal Palace at Stirling and present the Royal Lodgings as they might have appeared in the heyday of Scotland’s Stewart court in the mid 16th century.

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Launching the project while visiting the existing heritage centre with Kate Mavor of The National Trust for Scotland, Councillor Scott Farmer, Depute Council Leader, Kathleen Taylor and Deborah Murray from Stirling Council and children from Clermiston Primary School, Edinburgh.

Ms Hyslop said: “This project will deliver a world class visitor attraction with a immersive digital experience that will give visitors a real flavour of the battle. We believe it will set new standards for Scotland’s tourism industry, generate significant additional income for the local economy and increase visitor numbers.

“The regeneration project will have a positive impact on the Bannockburn Heritage Centre, the local community of Stirling - already looking forward to the unveiling of the £12m Stirling Castle Palace Project - and Scotland as a whole.”

The minister continued: “During the second year of homecoming in 2014, Scotland plays host to the Commonwealth Games and The Ryder Cup – our country will be on an international platform – and this project will allow us to celebrate our heritage and promote Scotland as a tourist destination to the world.”

“A new visitor centre will bring a leading edge digital interpretation to the battle of Bannockburn when it opens in 2014 and establish the site’s position as one of the most historically and culturally important places in Scotland during the Battle’s 700 year anniversary,” she said.

Kate Mavor, Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland added: “We are very excited by the possibilities as we embark on this new and ambitious partnership project and look forward to working with Stirling Council, community representatives and others to ensure that Bannockburn and central Scotland’s many historic sites play their part in telling the story of Scotland.”

A design team of consultants are working with Historic Scotland and the Trust to develop proposals for improving visitor facilities and are currently looking at new interpretation of the Battle and the site featuring new digital media, visitor facilities, landscape and car parking improvements and conservation of the listed monuments and their setting. The next step in the project is the approval of the interpretation plan, scheduled for January 2011.

(GK/KMcA)