Garden centre and visitor attraction operator Dobbies is to open a new site in Scotland as well as redeveloping its Ponteland site in the north of England.

With a combined cost of around £11m, the two developments will take the number of Dobbies attractions in Britain to 18 and will both be completed in time for the busy Easter period this year.

The £6m Dobbies Stirling development is being built on 20 acres of land and includes a 55,000sq ft garden centre, an aquatics department, a farm foodhall and a visitor centre promoting local crafts and other specialty produce.

The grounds of the centre will also offer seven acres of riverside walks and managed parklands for visitors.

Dobbies Ponteland, north of Newcastle, will see a £5m revamp which will extend the sites restaurant to 200 covers and building a new outdoor recreation area.

James Barnes, chief executive, said: “The centres have been developed by Dobbies working in partnership with local councils and other key bodies.

“We have taken into account economic and environmental considerations in order maximise the potential of these two sites and to create a major economic boost locally.”