A forest hub which welcomes more than 60,000 visitors per year is planning to move its café and introduce a new bike hire shop.

The hub in Gisburn Forest currently comprises two buildings – Stephen Park, which is used for occasional overnight accommodation, and a barn to the west of Stephen Park, which houses a café and visitors’ centre.

Gisburn Forest, which is managed by Forestry England, is looking to move the café across to the ground floor of Stephen Park and bring the bike hire shop to the former café site.

Bike hire is already available at the forest for a price of £50 for adults only.

Lancashire Telegraph: The Stephen Park building is currently used for overnight accommodationThe Stephen Park building is currently used for overnight accommodation (Image: JWPC)

A planning heritage statement submitted to Ribble Valley Borough Council said: “The proposals form part of a strategy to improve access to Gisburn Forest, which includes upgrades to the cycle routes through the forest and the better facilities proposed by the bike hire and sales and an improved café facility.

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“The bike hire and sales are located specifically at the site to provide the facility for visitors to the site and will be similar in operation to other existing facilities at Forestry England sites.

“The café and visitors centre facility will be brought into part of the ground floor of the Stephen Park building, shown on the submitted plans, with the remainder of the building remaining in its current use.

Lancashire Telegraph: The cafe at Gisburn Forest could be moved under new plansThe cafe at Gisburn Forest could be moved under new plans (Image: Archive)

“The proposed café is essentially a relocation of the existing café at the site and the additional bike hire and sales will be strongly associated with visitors to the forest.

“The proposal will not directly change the number of visitors to the forest but will mainly serve to improve the quality and range of facilities to visitors.”

Forestry England is responsible for management of forests across the country and the proposal is part of their long-term plans for management of the Gisburn Forest Hub and improving public access to the forest.

Anyone wishing to comment on the application can do so via the council’s website.