PLANS for a new museum and visitor centre on Portland have gone on display.

And residents are being invited to provide stories and artefacts to be included in the new attraction, planned for the former engine house at the top of Incline Road.

Designs for the new £1.5-million visitor centre - on show at the Portland Heights Hotel - include a walkers' café, display area and an audio-visual classroom for educational groups.

Residents are asked to view and help shape the proposals by offering information and material to illustrate the island's history and geology.

Funding for the redevelopment comes from the Portland Gas Trust - established by Portland Gas Ltd to create the attraction after it was given the go-ahead to construct 14 gas storage caverns under the island.

Portland Gas community liaison officer Rachel Barton said she hopes the centre will communicate the nature, culture and geological uniqueness of Portland through the eyes of its inhabitants.

She said: "We've got to the stage where the dream is becoming a reality and we really want to know what people think so that they can help shape our plans.

"We're looking for stories and material that will fit within our outline display framework and make the old engine shed a must-see destination for anyone visiting Portland as well as a place where locals feel welcome.

"This is a really exciting time and I urge everyone to come and find out more."

Restoration work on the Grade II listed former engine house includes re-slating the roof and it is hoped the visitor centre will be open in spring 2010.

The story of Portland Gas and its new storage facility is planned for part of the main exhibition in the new centre.

Work is scheduled to begin before the end of this year on storage caverns one and a half miles underneath the island at Portland Port.

They will be capable of storing 1,000 million cubic metres of gas that when connected to the national grid could supply five per cent of the nation's gas supply on a cold winter's day.

The exhibition is on show throughout October at the trust's office in the Portland Heights Hotel between 9am and 4pm.