Work on the Jurassic Coast gateway at Orcombe in Exmouth started on site Tuesday 29 November.

The £400,000 scheme will improve the welcome for visitors to the Orcombe area of the resort, providing interpretation features and environmental enhancements to celebrate Exmouth's status as the western gateway to the World Heritage Site.

The development is being carried out on behalf of Devon County Council, in partnership with East Devon District Council, Exmouth Town Council, the National Trust and Clinton Devon Estates, and in liaison with the Jurassic Coast and South West Coast Path Teams.

The work will take place near the Geoneedle, which was erected on the cliff top at Orcombe in 2002 to mark the official designation of the status. The initial phase of work is expected to take four weeks. It will involve re-profiling the land to create a retaining wall with integrated seating, an orientation point with stone pavers and re-surfacing which will include interpretive stones.

There will be a two week break for Christmas before work resumes in January for a further four weeks. This second phase will also include interpretation for the zig-zag path and Foxholes car park. Planning for the second phase of the project, which will involve highway works at Queens Drive, will follow in the Spring subject to highway/traffic orders being in place.

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "This scheme is befitting of Exmouth's prestigious World Heritage Site status and I'm sure it will enable the town to capitalise on its prime location at the western end of the Jurassic Coast. We have carried out extensive consultation and planning to get this scheme off the ground and I'm sure, that when complete, this area will prove to be a huge draw for visitors and residents alike, which will be of great benefit to the local economy."

Councillor Eileen Wragg, local County Councillor for Exmouth Littleham and Town, said: "This is hugely important, not just to Exmouth as a Gateway Town, but to the region as a whole. The bid for funding for the project was the first to be submitted for capital funding from the proceeds of the sale of Exeter Airport and it is most appropriate that the money is being spent on enhancing the unique environment of our world class coastline. The benefits will be reaped for many years in the future."

The scheme has been developed with interpretation specialist Bright 3D and is being carried out by Devon County Council contractor Bridge Civil Engineering Ltd. Planning permission for the scheme was granted in September 2011