A tourism attraction which it is hoped will attract thousands of visitors and bring millions of pounds into the economy has secured funding.

The Star of Caledonia project is expected to drive £4m of additional tourism every year as the £7m landmark sculpture which will mark the border between Scotland and England could soon become a reality following a £5.5m funding promise that closes a funding gap of existing potential funding offered by the Borderlands Growth Deal.

The Star of Caledonia will provide a significant boost to the region’s socioeconomics and support the post-Covid Green Recovery.

It’s expected to attract 100,000 visits and drive an additional tourism worth £4m every year.

Gretna Landmark Trust, the team behind the project, now hopes the funding opportunity will be embraced by the region to ensure the landmark sculpture can be built within the next few years.

The £5.5m of much-needed funding has been made available by one of Scotland’s biggest wind farm operators, Community Windpower, which has a number of renewable energy projects across southern Scotland.

Excited with the news, Alastair Houston, chair of the trust, said: “The funding from Community Windpower is such a welcome contribution to this exciting project and is very much appreciated by everyone associated with the Star of Caledonia.

“We need to look to the future with hope and ambition and our Star promotes that important message within a wider regeneration project.

“Having Community Windpower support the project provides perfect synergy to our aims and will act as a signal of growth and recovery across the region.

“The Star will be highly visible from as far south as Carlisle and will be a 365-day-a-year statement of Scotland’s innovation, creativity, energy and ambition.

Star of Caledonia is a collaborative design between the late Charles Jencks and Cecil Balmond.

The landmark work will capture the powerful energy, scientific heritage and magnetic pull of Scotland.