A NEW centre for outdoor education will open this summer and its backers believe it will boost standards across the industry.

The £1.1m Centre for Outdoor Management, Education and Training (COMET) will be built at the University of Central Lancashire's Penrith Campus at Newton Rigg.

Dr Graham Baldwin, director of UCLan Cumbria, said the campus was an ideal location to site the project because of its physical proximity to the Lake District.

"It is a national initiative that capitalises on Cumbria's great strength - its rich landscape. I see it as a beacon of excellence in the years ahead."

He said increasing numbers of students were coming to the campus to study degrees involving the outdoors, such as outdoor leadership and outdoor education.

Dr Baldwin added COMET would be "a great fillip" to a rapidly developing industry.

Rural Regeneration Cumbria provided £750,000 of the total cost of the centre. RRC's capital projects manager Freddy Markham said it was an exciting development in the heart of the county.

Mr Markham said: "In the wake of foot-and-mouth and the huge debate about changing land use COMET is huge opportunity for the county, the region and the UK as a whole.

"It will be an industry and community resource with the added bonus of being linked to the University with all its specialist outdoor educational knowledge and expertise," he added.

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) contributed £416,000 to the scheme.

The centre will also house community-based organisations such as the Community Youth Alliance and will be available for host workshops, training sessions and seminars.

Work has now begun on COMET and it is expected to be completed by late summer.