The £1 million project, at the Market Green in Dounby - situated between the Smithfield Hotel and the community school pitch - will see the erection of a new toilet block, creation of a car park with electric vehicle chargers, and associated landscaping and access alterations.

The new hub will also include a drinking water station, designated disabled parking spaces as well as motorhome parking and waste disposal facilities, e-bike chargers and cycle parking, sheltered seating and improved orientation and information about the surrounding area.

The project is being funded through a £750K Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund grant from VisitScotland and a £7K Regional Active Travel Fund grant from HITRANS, with Orkney Islands Council providing £246K in match funding from its Tourism Infrastructure Fund.

The development was granted planning permission by the Council at the end of November and was a key project identified in the Local Place Plan for Dounby.

The Scottish Government’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund is managed by VisitScotland and aims to improve the visitor experience in rural parts of Scotland that have seen large increases in visitor numbers. In particular, it aims to help address pressure on local infrastructure or any negative impacts on communities.

The HITRANS Regional Active Travel Fund provided by Transport Scotland aims to increase the number of people choosing walking, cycling and wheeling in Scotland, and ensure that high quality walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure is available to all.

Councillor Duncan Tullock is an elected member for the West Mainland. He said: “With Dounby sitting right in the middle of Orkney’s most visited tourist attractions, this project represents an opportunity to improve the facilities available to those visitors and therefore increase the amount of folk that spend some time there, rather than simply driving through it on their way to somewhere else. The project was identified by the community through the Local Place Plan and I’m pleased to see it progressing with support from VisitScotland, HITRANS and the Council.”

David Hamilton is Chair of Harray and Sandwick Community Council. He added: “It’ll be great to see this project getting underway. This will definitely enhance the look of Dounby for locals and tourists giving people and families a nice place to sit on a bonny summer’s day.”

Cheryl Chapman is Orkney development manager at VisitScotland, commented: “Communities are at the heart of creating a sustainable and successful visitor destination and this project will not only enhance the visitor experience but benefit the local community and improve its wellbeing.

“The visitor hub will provide important long-lasting infrastructure improvements to cater for the growing visitor demand in the area, while supporting the use of sustainable transport.”