Planning granted for Calanais visitor centre upgrade
Getty ImagesPlanning permission has been granted for the major redevelopment of a visitor centre at the most visited landmark on the Isle of Lewis.
Calanais - also known as Callanish - Standing Stones are 5,000 years old and were used for rituals for about 2,000 years.
The charity behind the proposal, Urras nan Tursachan (The Standing Stones Trust), said it had been a journey of over 14 years to reach this stage.
It said granting of planning permission would allow it to move ahead with creating a five-star visitor attraction and community facility.
The standing stones on the west coast of Lewis are the most visited tourist attraction in the Outer Hebrides.
More than 150,000 people visited the site in 2019, with estimates the number of visitors could rise to 200,000 by 2030.
Proposals could see a fee charged to people visiting the landmark to cover the cost of its upkeep, and to protect the site for generations to come.
Funding for the planning phase of the Calanais 2025 project has been granted by Highlands and Islands Enterprise