Months of work is to begin upgrading a popular tourist car park in Kinross, leading to the Loch Leven Heritage Trail.
The project will see new surfaces laid with pedestrian routes and coach parking. Benches and landscaping are also set for the new-look facility.
Jamie Montgomery, partner at the Green Hotel, who won planning permission for the upgrade, also hopes the closed Boathouse Restaurant that sits at the foot of the car park will be reopened.
“The project is scheduled to take four months and be complete hopefully by the end of July.
“In order to ensure that public access is maintained throughout, together with some car parking capacity, the project is being split into two main phases.
“Once the car park is complete, it will hopefully be a facility that Kinross can be proud of and an appropriate gateway with which to impress visitors on arrival.
“The Boathouse Restaurant will definitely be reopened at some stage although in precisely which form is still being actively discussed.”
Access to the facility from Kinross High Street is also being taken into consideration in the upgrade.
Jamie said: “As well as addressing the car parking there, one of the key aims has been to improve both pedestrian and vehicle access from the High Street.
“The road between Sandport and the car park is going to be widened but it wont have its final surface laid until towards the end of the project.
“However, one of the first things the contractor is going to do is to create a new path for pedestrians alongside the road to avoid them having to walk on the road itself and dodge the cars as has been the case until now.”
Kinross-shire SNP councillor Richard Watters welcomed the plans.
He said: “Delighted to see this project progress thanks to Jamie Montgomery, having suggested and sponsored the use of the Scottish Government’s Town Centre fund to progress this project.
“With the clear links between Loch Leven Pier and Kinross Town Centre, providing a clear economic boost to local businesses in Kinross.”