The exciting plans include a proposal for a new building to speed up access to the Zoo, provide new improved facilities and add the “wow factor” for visitors.

The new 2,391sqm Welcome Centre will provide great interest locally and nationally and will have a positive impact on the local economy by generating new employment opportunities. The project has been designed to be an attractive central feature within the Zoo. It will be a single storey grass-roofed building (a Sedum roof) and will sympathetically blend in with the natural local surroundings.

The new entrance will also host a Tourist Information Centre to highlight all the attractions within Leicestershire and the surrounding counties.

The plans include:

• A spacious 300 seat all-day diner to offer a variety of international dishes sourced from locally grown organic fresh produce
• Views overlooking a Himalayan landscape type Snow Leopard enclosure
• A corporate event and private function area, built with a 'New England' themed enclosure (wading birds etc)
• 4,000 sq feet of retail space a state of the art themed Zoo shopping experience including fair trade items. The new centre will be open to the general public, as well as visitors of the Zoo

From the outset, this building has been designed to be environmentally green and sustainable and has been rated BREEAM EXCELLENT. (BRE Environmental Assessment Method). This illustrates that sustainability has been addressed in all aspects of the proposals. In its own right, it is intended to illustrate the importance of the conservation of the environment just as Twycross Zoo’s role relates to conservation of species. This will truly be a world-class venue in the future.

Twycross Zoo has commissioned a bore hole to be drilled to a depth of 200 metres. This is with the intention of using water found underground for heating and cooling the Visitor Welcome Centre, through a ground heat exchange system. The water will also be used for cleaning the animal enclosures and toilet facilities throughout the Zoo.

The concept of the Visitor Welcome Centre began in 2005, when Bernard Harrison and Friends, (a design and professional management of zoos and eco-tourist attractions consultancy from Singapore) visited Twycross Zoo for a series of workshops. Fifty people attended the workshops from all sections of the Zoo as well as Trustees, external advisors, quantity surveyors, landscape architects, fundraising professionals and county councillors and neighbouring businesses.

The workshops were a sequence of in depth discussions to see what the Zoo needed for its future development. A variety of new and old ideas were discussed, retail facilities, food and beverage, naturalistic enclosures, and the possibility of immersing Twycross Zoo within the natural environment.

The overall conclusion from the workshops was a new eco-friendly development incorporating, a spacious gift shop, Information Centre and ticketing booths. Also included would be a room for corporate and private function and a selection of dining facilities which would look out on to an amazing Snow leopard enclosure.

Diana Gilhespy, Executive Director for Regeneration at emda said: “emda is pleased to support this scheme at Twycross Zoo which will allow the project to become a flagship eco-friendly facility to showcase sustainable practices. It will also boost the regional economy by providing employment and educational opportunities and boost an important visitor attraction – all of which will help to create a flourishing region.”

Kishor Tailor, Chief Executive of Leicester Shire Economic Partnership, said: “This is fantastic news for one of our great local assets. It will have a beneficial effect on tourism and employment.”

Sophie Churchill, Chief Executive of National Forest, said: “Twycross Zoo is a gateway into The National Forest, which is one of the country’s most ambitious environmental and regeneration initiatives. As the Forest matures, with over 7 million trees planted, it is wonderful that through emda’s support Twycross Zoo is going to become a leading eco-friendly conservation centre, supporting local growers through its catering and offering a high quality experience for the families and older people who enjoy the zoo so much.

"I am particularly pleased that the Zoo has committed to environmental sustainability in the building of the visitors’ centre: this will blend well with the aspirations of The National Forest."

Stuart Bray, Deputy Leader of Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and Lead Executive Member for Culture and Tourism said “This is fantastic news for Twycross Zoo and the Borough. The Council is proud to have played its part in assisting Suzanne Boardman and her team in securing this successful bid. The new Visitor Centre will be a welcome boost for tourism and the local economy and will truly make this a world class facility that will be available for local communities to enjoy. I applaud the sustainable approach to the design of the facility and we wish Twycross Zoo great success with this exciting venture”.

Martin Peters, Chief Executive of Leicester Shire Promotions, the Destination Management Organisation responsible for promoting Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to visitors and investors, commented: "We are particularly pleased that Twycross Zoo has been successful in its bid for this major investment. We were happy to be called upon to help with the development of the application itself and fully support this flagship project to build a new Visitor Welcome Centre. The project will add considerable value to the visitor strategy for Hinckley and Bosworth - that of attracting visitors from outside of the county to major attractions such as Twycross and then encouraging them to visit other key attractions in the local area."