A MULTI-million pound project to restore the former Windermere Steamboat Museum is back on track, but with a delayed opening date of 2017.

Lakeland Arts, which is running the scheme, is now in discussion with its preferred contractor to construct a brand new building on the site in Bowness.

The planned tourist attraction, which is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors each year, had originally been scheduled to open this year.

But the organisation’s marketing and communications director Jeanette Edgar said there had been delays in going out to tender to find a building contractor.

“It was more expensive than we had envisaged and we had to do some extra fundraising, which we’ve now managed to do,” she said.

“Lakeland Arts completed the enabling works on site at the end of 2014 and further site investigation in the spring.

“We are confident that we will start construction work this summer and the new museum facilities will be ready to open for the 2017 season.

“This will give us time to make sure that everything works and that we’re fully ready for that holiday season.”

Lakeland Arts is also interviewing for a new Senior Conservation Boat Builder, after conservation work shop manager Adrian Stone left the project last month.

Ms Edgar was unable to confirm the name of the preferred contractors at this stage, but said: “It’s a very good builder and they have lots of experience doing projects of this nature.”

There will be a 52-week build before work starts on fitting the exhibitions, and the museum re-opens as Windermere Jetty: Museum of Steam, Boats and Stories.

In the meantime work is continuing to conserve the boat collection and prepare the vessels for display in the new museum, in the exhibition galleries and on water in the boathouse.

The museum was opened by Prince Charles in 1977 and in its heyday attracted 80,000 visitors each year but closed in 2006, by which time the buildings were dilapidated and could no longer provide public access to the collection.

Lakeland Arts took over the museum in 2007, and was able to start on the renovation project thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in 2011.