ALTERATIONS and extensions are to be made to a National Park centre to tackle dwindling visitor numbers.

More educational and exhibition areas are planned for the centre at Danby, a former hunting lodge on Viscount Downe's Wykeham Estate, in the North York Moors park.

In recent years, the number of visitors to the centre has dropped from 150,000 to 120,000.

The latest plan replaces a more ambitious scheme costing nearly £1m, which was withdrawn following protests from traders in the Esk Valley.

The centre will be upgraded and altered to provide more exhibition space, and the courtyard will be covered.

A children's play area will be included in the scheme, drawn up by Ecoarc - Ecological Architects - of Harton, near York.