A new visitor centre and events area could be created in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh.

Plans have been put forward by a charitable trust aiming to redevelop the Ross Bandstand and the surrounding area.

The centre would be mainly underground to minimise the impact on the park.

Its roof would be at the same level as Princes Street and double as a viewing platform for the gardens and Edinburgh Castle.

David Ellis, project director at the Ross Development Trust, said the proposal would improve access to the area.

He said: "The Ross Development Trust are fully aware of the sensitivity of West Princes Street Gardens and how much that space means to the city and people that live here, and that has been the paramount consideration at every decision made to get to this point.

"There is a lot of work planned but the majority of it is focused on improving pre-existing facilities rather than developing new ones, with the improvements taking up a very similar footprint to those that currently exist.

"One thing we can stress is that there will be a number of landscaping improvements to return areas to garden landscape - mainly the current home of the cafe and red blaes area and the concrete seating area in front of the bandstand."