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Also in this week's edition:
Enhancing Carlisle: Market Square and Greenmarket update
We have been updating businesses, residents, and visitors on the progress of the Market Square and Greenmarket regeneration project in Carlisle city centre.
The project area has been expanded by an additional 1,500 square metres. This ambitious £5.25 million initiative, funded by the Future High Streets Fund, Cumberland Council and United Utilities, forms part of Cumberland Councils £100m regeneration programme for Carlisle city centre that includes the improvements to Carlisle railway station and the public realm schemes at Devonshire Street and English Street.
The Market Square and Greenmarket regeneration project is designed to create an attractive, multifunctional space that creates a new focal point in the pedestrianised area, encourages activity that supports shops and businesses and creates a greener city centre.
The next phases of work will involve adjustments to the hoarding perimeter and will continue until summer 2025. Pedestrian access will be maintained between construction areas and on Castle Street to ensure ease of movement for visitors to the city centre.
The final phase will focus on completing the Market Square with new paving and street furniture while enhancing Greenmarket and Castle Street. Unique natural stone features and greenery will transform Greenmarket into an inviting event space, adding charm to the city centre.
Enhancing Carlisle: Market Square and Greenmarket update | Cumberland Council
Putting down new foundations for Maryport’s future
The foundations have been laid for Maryport’s new Promenade café and this great new venue in West Cumbria is about to take shape.
With its views across the Solway Firth to Scotland, and its location right on the seashore, this promises to be a must-see destination. It is part of £12 million of central government-funded regeneration projects in the town and is due to open its doors this Spring.
Putting down new foundations for Maryport’s future | Cumberland Council
Work gets underway on Cleator Moor’s Revitalised Town programme
Work started on another transformational project in Cleator Moor.
The PEC Phase 3 building in Cleator Moor is owned by Cumberland Council and operated by Phoenix Enterprise Centre (PEC) under a long-term lease.
The refurbishment of the building started this week and is being undertaken as part of the Cleator Moor Town Deal Revitalised Town project with around £1.3 million of works being undertaken.
Situated off the Town Square, the works aim to increase the supply of high-quality, affordable office space in the centre of Cleator Moor.
Work gets underway on Cleator Moor’s Revitalised Town programme | Cumberland Council
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We have been urging dog owners to responsibly clean up after their pets or risk fines of up to £100.
The council's Enforcement Team has been actively visiting areas across Cumberland, placing informative stickers and stencils to remind dog owners of their responsibility to pick up after their dogs. The team operates under four key principles: Engage, Educate, Explain, and Enforce. A zero-tolerance approach ensures a consistent response to dog fouling.
Dog owners are reminded to do their part in keeping our community clean and safe by always carrying bags, picking up after their pets, and disposing of waste properly, as failing to do so is illegal.
In recent enforcement actions, a woman in Maryport received a £100 fine after walking away as her dog fouled. Similarly, two instances of dog fouling occurred on Parton Beach, where the owners were not present to clean up.
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The Food Conversation is a much-needed opportunity for residents to talk about what they really want from our food system.
Food is at the centre of some of the biggest challenges we face. Headlines about food security, diet-related ill health, the impact on nature and climate of food production, food bank usage (and more) dominate the media and are part of our daily conversations.
This event aims to give residents and organisations from around Carlisle information about what affordable food outlets are available and for us to talk about food to gain a well-evidenced view of what people really think about the local food system.
Join the conversation on Monday 17 February 2025 from 10am – 12pm at the Assembly Rooms, Old Town Hall, Scotch Street, Carlisle, CA3 8PN.
We have been working with Raise: Cumbria Community Forest, to secure £107,000 in funding to plant over 9,000 trees and improve public access around Cummersdale, Carlisle. This project marks a significant step forward in creating new woodland habitats and enhancing biodiversity, as well as contributing to the region’s climate resilience.
We were able to announce this week that work on the Carlisle Southern Link Road (CSLR) project had reached another major milestone.
Recently, all 18 steel beams were installed on the bridge completing all the major steelwork required for the new Caldew Crossing.
Funded by Homes England, this transformative infrastructure project will enhance east-to-west connectivity, reduce congestion in Carlisle city centre, and unlock the delivery of St. Cuthbert’s Garden Village.
The centrepiece of the CSLR project is the Caldew Crossing which crosses the River Caldew. This impressive structure which measures 170m in length, 18m in width and 20m high over the River Caldew is a vital part of the council’s commitment to creating sustainable, resilient, and connected places.
We appreciate your continued patience as work progresses on Dalston Road and the Carlisle Southern Link Road project.
Many of you will have seen our teams onsite working hard to re-open the route.
We have been busy installing the kerbs, signposts and lighting columns. The bridge deck for the new footbridge has also been lifted into place. Resurfacing of the road has also begun.
Dalston Road is expected to reopen to traffic on Friday 28 February 2025.
Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) has published Areas of Focus in the search to find a suitable site and a willing community to host a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). The areas are within the three communities currently involved in the process, in Mid Copeland and South Copeland in Cumbria, and in East Lincolnshire.
The Areas of Focus will enable NWS to focus more in-depth studies and investigations to help experts understand and consider the potential for an area to safely and securely host a GDF. They have been identified using a range of information, such as geological data, areas of environmental protection, and consideration of built-up areas.
Identification of Areas of Focus does not mean a GDF will be sited in these areas. Construction will only start when a suitable site is identified, a potential host community has confirmed its willingness to host the facility, and all the necessary consents and permits have been obtained.
In the search for a suitable site for a GDF, three key elements are needed with the right sub-surface geological environment deep underground, a suitable surface location, and the ability to connect the two areas with accessways.
Two surface Areas of Focus have been identified in Mid Copeland – Land East of Sellafield and Land East of Seascale. In South Copeland there is one surface Area of Focus – Land West of Haverigg.
The sub-surface Area of Focus in the deep geology off the coast is the same for Mid Copeland and South Copeland.
Identifying these areas enables NWS to focus site evaluation studies, such as transport and environmental surveys, and the site characterisation work needed to consider the potential for an area to safely host a GDF.
NWS is hosting a series of webinars and local drop-in events to explain Areas of Focus:
Events:
- Friday, February 7: Seascale Golf Club, 10am–3pm
- Friday, February 7: Baptist Church, Millom, 5pm–8pm
- Saturday, February 8: Seascale Golf Club, 10am–1pm
- Saturday, February 8: Kirksanton Village Hall, 2.30–6pm
- Thursday, February 13: Drigg Village Hall, 3pm–7pm
- Friday, February 14: Gosforth Public Hall 10am–2pm & 5pm–7pm
- Saturday, February 15: Beckermet Reading Rooms 10am–3pm
Webinars (register here: or go to https://gdfareaoffocuswebinars.gdfevents.co.uk):
- Thursday, February 6: 6.30pm–8pm
- Monday, February 17: 12pm–1.30pm
You can find out more at: Areas of Focus - Nuclear Waste Services. There is also the South Copeland Area of Focus page: Areas of Focus in South Copeland - Nuclear Waste Services and the Mid Copeland Areas of Focus page: Areas of Focus in Mid Copeland - Nuclear Waste Services
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We recently welcomed the announcement by the Government that it has now reached conclusions about how it plans to manage the UK’s stock of separated civil plutonium.
Our community currently bears the burden of storing this material, so Cumberland Council is a key stakeholder on the issue. While Sellafield has a long and proven track record of storing this material safely and securely, we fully support the main objective of putting it into a permanently safe form beyond reach.
Council Leader Mark Fryer said “Cumberland Council is open to all potential new nuclear missions within Cumberland, provided these contribute to a more resilient economy and provide a positive legacy.
"Given the security considerations associated with plutonium management, it makes sense that new facilities required to support an immobilisation programme should be located on the Sellafield site.
"The scale of the facility that will be required to permanently immobilise the plutonium will offer significant opportunities for employment both within Sellafield Ltd and in the local supply chain.
"The Council has a good working relationship with the current leadership teams of both the NDA and Sellafield and I am confident that all parties will work collaboratively to secure maximum value and benefit from the programme for the local economy and community.
"Despite significant investment at Sellafield over the years, we have historically failed to capitalise on this to create a sustainable economic legacy for our community. The Council, the NDA and Sellafield are committed to ensuring that, between us, we make sure that our community enjoys greater long-term benefits from nuclear developments as we move forward.
"I am proud that, yet again, our community will be supporting and delivering a programme of national importance and I and the Council will work tirelessly to ensure it is rewarded accordingly”.
Details of those who are standing in the Workington Town Council (Harrington ward) election have been published. The election will be held on 27 February 2025.
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