Sheffield City Council (SCC) has confirmed that construction work on a new discovery centre at the Ecclesall Woods Sawmill site is set to get underway this month.

A new timber building is set to house visitor, education and training facilities which will cater for school groups and community organisations, as well as local businesses, families and individuals. Additional toilet and refreshment facilities at the centre have been designed to showcase how wood can be used as a sustainable construction material, while also providing improved visitor accommodation.

Nearly £350,000 had been raised by the end of 2009 to finance the project, with the JG Graves Trust contributing £250,000 eight decades after former Sheffield Lord Mayor, Alderman Graves, helped to save Ecclesall Woods from housing. SCC's cabinet member for climate change and local environment, Shaffaq Mohammed, said: "Following extensive consultation in 2008 and discussions with various organisations over a longer period of time, we received strong feedback that this centre is what people really wanted to enhance their enjoyment of the woods."

Mansfield-based company Baggaley and Jenkins has been appointed to deliver the scheme, which was approved by SCC in July 2009. It is hoped the new centre will be ready to open in autumn this year.