A multi-million pound investment in one of Dumfries and Galloway’s top tourist attractions could bring tens of thousands of new visitors to the region.
Plans have been unveiled to expand Moffat Mill as well as create new parking at the site, which is popular with visitors from across the UK.
If approved, it is hoped the “significant” investment would safeguard the mill’s future and create new jobs.
The site is owned by Equorium Property Company Ltd (EPC), with Moffat Mill one of more than 20 sites run by Purepay Retail Ltd through their Edinburgh Woollen Mill brand.
EPC also owns the adjacent site of the former Mercury Motor Inn, which closed in 1999 and was finally demolished at the start of 2024.
Plans lodged with Dumfries and Galloway Council reveal EPC want to turn the cleared area into a brand new car park, with work to the existing car park making it suitable for coaches, motorhomes and disabled parking.
There will also be an extension providing a new entrance to the mill, as well as electrical vehicle charging points, outdoor seating and better access for cyclists and walkers.
A supporting planning statement says: “The underling objective of the proposals is to increase visitor numbers to the site and particularly those travelling to Moffat on long distance coach trips.”
It is claimed the centre currently attracts more than 250,000 a visitors a year, the majority from other parts of the UK and abroad.
The latest annual figures show there were around 3,500 coach visits to the site, bringing a total of 130,000 coach passengers.
However, the statement points out: “Despite the continued success of the centre, there has been a general decline in coach party visits over recent years and the redevelopment proposals are very much geared around enhancing the quality of the visitor attraction for coach parties, with improved coach driver’s facilities, better coach parking, new coach cleaning facilities and an enhanced restaurant area, forming key parts of the proposals.”
It is hoped the work will bring in 65,000 new visitors – taking the annual total to around 320,000 visitors a year.
Although the work would see the number of spaces for coaches drop from 25 to 13, it is claimed: “The existing coach bays on site are not full size and do not meet current standards for modern coaches.
“These will be replaced with full sized and demarcated coach bays meeting current requirements.”
The scheme – which has the backing of VisitScotland – “represents a significant multi million pound investment in the local Moffat area”.
As well as helping the centre keep its four-star status, the work will also safeguard jobs and create around five new ones.