Paisley Abbey could have a new visitor centre after a planning application was submitted.

If passed, the £2m project would include a larger café and restaurant, a shop, heritage interpretation and a hall which would be used for receptions, exhibitions and conferences.

The plans also include rebuilding the fourth cloister in order to create a new entrance to the Abbey. This would incorporate medieval stones in its construction, thus restoring the cloister to its original footprint.

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The refurbishment of the Place of Paisley will provide overall improved visitor facilities and community space and Reverend Alan Birss, Minister at Paisley Abbey, said: "The fourth cloister project is an exciting initiative that exemplifies the forward-looking vision of the Abbey as we celebrate our 850th anniversary."

Renfrewshire Council has supported the Abbey to get to this stage of the proposed development, and Council Leader Mark Macmillan added: "Paisley Abbey looms large in the history and landscape of the town. It’s encouraging that a major project to strengthen its future has reached an important milestone in being submitted for planning permission."

Edinburgh firm Simpson & Brown Architects is dealing with the project and partner Jenny Humphreys said they were looking forward to the next stage of the planning application and "seeing it come to fruition."

Paisley Abbey was founded as a monastery in 1163.

(JP)