Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has submitted plans for a new £3m visitor centre in Perthshire.

The centre will be located at the Pitlochry Dam, according to the BBC.

The energy firm is said to be considering building a new purpose-built facility for visitors to the site. It would replace the existing centre which is currently closed and could double the number of tourists that visit the site each year to 100,000.

Pitlochry Dam was built between 1947 and 1951 as part of a network of dams in the Highlands to generate electricity. In addition to the visitor centre, it also includes a fish ladder, to allow salmon to move further upstream.

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SSE's Head of Community Development, Gillian O'Reilly, said: "Last year we commissioned a consultancy firm to carry out an independent review of our visitor facilities.

"The findings concluded that a substantial investment was required to update the Pitlochry Visitor Centre.

"It was also highlighted that the centre is part of an operational power station and has a number of access restrictions which would have been challenging to overcome."

Ms O'Reilly added that the company was looking at options to improve the site as well as refurbishing the existing centre.

Planning officials at Perth and Kinross Council are expected to make a decision on the proposals by June.

(JP/CD)