SOUTH Lakeland is poised to 'ignite' itself as a world class visitor destination after three of its key heritage projects reached ambitious milestones.

Kendal's Abbot Hall Gallery, Windermere Jetty and the Wordsworth Trust in Grasmere have each arrived at a crucial stage as their bid to raise their international profiles.

They are:

l £7.1 million plans for a flagship scheme to transform Abbot Hall Gallery into an 'exceptional' cultural attraction have now been submitted to South Lakeland District Council.

l Doors are about to open at Windermere Jetty, a new £20m attraction; and

l Contractors have been appointed to begin work on William Wordsworth's Dove Cottage at Grasmere, restoring the building to its former glory, along with an expanded museum.

A leading tourist industry figure said all three projects added to the area's cultural credentials as World Heritage Status continued to put the Lakes on the international map.

Managing director of Cumbria Tourism Gill Haigh said it was a really 'exciting' time for everyone involved.

"These projects will ignite and bring our culture heritage to life for future generations," she said. "When you visit an attraction you don't just want to see it, you want to learn from it and immerse yourself into the stories.

"It's important for sites like these to reinvent themselves constantly and bring fresh appeal to visitors while bringing another aspect of our culture to life."

Mrs Haigh said that each of the projects would bring a boost to the local economy as they would provide more motivation for visitors to come to the area.

"When tourists come to visit we want to encourage them to extend their stay," she added. "These attractions will provide another reason for them to do so."

Plans for Abbot Hall's transformation include the removal of car parks to replace them with courtyards, relocation of the museum and shop, improved accessiblity, and a new cafe.

Visitors will be expected to use the town's eight other public car parks.

Chief executive of Lakeland Arts Rhian Harris said it was the most 'exciting' time in the organisation's history as Windermere Jetty - which it also operates - was days from opening and plans for Abbot Hall's new look had been unveiled to the public.

She said: "It's really exciting to present redevelopment plans for Abbot Hall which will transform the gallery in time for its 60th anniversary in 2022.

"The redevelopment will be a catalyst for engaging local audiences and reaching new people."

Arts and heritage organisation Lakeland Arts has a portfolio of galleries and museums, which includes Abbot Hall Gallery and Windermere jetty, and has focused on 'improving the quality and variety of artistic, heritage and learning programmes'.

Multi-award winning McInnes Usher McKnight Architects (MUMA), which is leading the work at Abbot Hall, said there was an urgent need to make the grade one listed building 'more resilient' and 'sustainable'.

The architects wanted to redevelop the site into a 'stimulating' and 'vibrant' place and also added the project represented a 'great opportunity' for the future of the gallery.

One of the key aspects of the project is the landscape design of the site, as MUMA described the access within Abbot Hall as 'difficult' and 'undignified' for less-mobile visitors.

Having secured Arts Council England capital funding for the development stage the gallery is awaiting further funding news before the project could officially start later this year.

Meanwhile, after being closed for more than 10 years, the Windermere Jetty Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories will open on Saturday, March 23. The £20m project will include 40 vessels, owned by Lakeland Arts, on display with each collection telling a story.

Mrs Haigh said Windermere Jetty was not just another museum but a 'breathtaking' experience for visitors.

"It will be a world-class visitor experience in a world-class destination," she said. "We are fully behind this exciting project and we can't wait for it to be open to the public."

The Wordsworth Trust has announced further plans for 'Reimagining Wordsworth', a £6.2 million project, which will preserve and enhance the significance of Dove Cottage in Grasmere.

The trust has revealed F. Parkinson Ltd as the contractor for the scheme and will start work next week with the aim to complete in time for the celebration of William Wordsworth's 250th birthday in April 2020.

Celebrated as a global centre for British Romanticism, Dove Cottage will be 'sensitively' redeveloped into the house that William and Dorothy Wordsworth would have known. The museum will also be expanded and modernised as well as new galleries offering visitors the chance to stop and reflect on the landscape that inspired Wordsworth.

Michael McGregor, a director at Wordsworth Trust, said the project "marked a key milestone in the process of realising the trust's vision of enabling more people to discover Wordsworth's poetry".

Another project helping to enhance the cultural fortunes of South Lakeland is a £500,000 investment at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal.

The funding pledge will help fund the centre's ambitious 'Brewery Digital Upgrade' project. It will allow digital visual arts presentations for the first time and include the installation of 'green screen' and digital playback facilities.

"The Brewery Digital Upgrade will propel the Brewery into the 21st century," said chief executive Richard Foster, who explained the funding would offer a new range of learning experiences for people of all ages, including those with special needs.