Penrith Town Council would like to thank those residents who voted in the Penrith Neighbourhood Development Plan referendum on Thursday 28 November 2024.

The Council is pleased to confirm that the Penrith Neighbourhood Development Plan has been accepted with a majority yes vote. This means that the local planning policies specifically developed for Penrith, which were drawn up to represent the wishes of Penrith residents, will be ratified at Westmorland & Furness Council Cabinet meeting in February before being taken into account by W&F Council when they consider any planning applications in Penrith.

Importantly it also means that the green and leisure spaces that residents said were important to them and which met the legal test are given some protection.

Councillor Doug Lawson, Chair of Penrith Town Council and Mayor of Penrith said:

“For me, the most important part of this process has been all the hard work put in by officers, councillors and those on our group to ensure that Penrith people were heard.

"The result reflects that and now we must continue the task of putting those wishes into action at every opportunity.”

Cllr Doug Lawson, Chair of Penrith Town Council & Penrith Mayor said:

“I am pleased to see the Council establish this exciting fund for Penrith.

“Play areas are generational – children create memories at play areas, grow-up, bring their own children to those same play areas - who in turn create new memories! So, it is fantastic to see a fund being established for Penrith which will ensure all children in Penrith have access to fun, safe, and inclusive play spaces!

“I hope to see lots of projects come forward during this term of council, with Carleton and Pategill already leading the way!”

The Council will in due course be looking to work with local communities to develop projects for play areas and seek to maximise this funding.

On Friday 18 October 2024, Cllr. Doug Lawson, Penrith Town Council Chair and Penrith Mayor visited a session held by Eden Dodgeball Club at Queen Eizabeth Grammar School and said:

“Thank you to Ben from Eden Dodgeball Club for allowing us to come and visit a session at QEGS and see first hand the enjoyment the young people get from these fantastic dodgeball sessions!

“It’s exciting to see a local club dedicated to growing their youth programs, and I am proud to see the Council being able to make that happen through the awarding of a grant.”

Ben Hoyle, Chairperson and Coach at Eden Dodgeball Club said:

“The grant provides a fantastic boost for our club – as it allows us to introduce dodgeball to even more young people, giving them a fun and active outlet in a supportive environment.

“We’ve seen firsthand how dodgeball helps develop skills like teamwork, communication, and self-confidence, and we’re excited to see how this new under 15’s session will grow.”

Charlie Shepherd, Chair of Penrith Town Council’s Finance Committee said:

“I am proud that the Council has been able to support Mr. Lowe’s request and take it even further by installing two new benches at St Andrews.

“Little projects like this may seem small, but they make a big difference in people’s daily lives. These benches will offer a place for rest, reflection, and connection, right in the heart of our community.”

Penrith Town Council has written to Westmorland & Furness Council to express a potential interest in a number of assets deemed to be "Surplus to Current
Service Needs" in Penrith.

The list of assets in Penrith include:

• 4/4a Corney Square, Penrith CA11 7PX, Penrith, Surplus Building, 286m2
• Economic Development land adjacent Skirsgill Highways Depot CA10 2BQ, Penrith, Surplus Land, 1.6ha
• Former Greengarth Care home site, Tynefield Drive CA11 8HZ, Penrith, Surplus Land, 0.41ha
• Kilgours Field CA11 8JH Penrith, Surplus Land, 0.09ha
  • Land Adjacent Football Stadium, Frenchfield CA11 8UU, Penrith, Surplus Land, 1.34ha
• Mansion House CA11 7YG Penrith Surplus Building, 0.38h
• McAdam Way Land CA11 9HE Penrith Surplus Land 0.13ha
• Newton Road open space CA11 9EE Penrith Surplus Land 0.12ha
• Penrith Cemetery Chapel CA11 7RZ, Penrith, Surplus Building, 107m2
• Plimsoll Close Car Park CA11 9EY, Penrith, Surplus Land, 0.02ha
• Skirsgill Grazing Plot CA10 2BQ, Penrith, Surplus Land, 1.096ha
• Land at Eamont Bridge CA10 2BH, Penrith, Surplus Land, 1.93ha

Penrith Town Council also asked that the Council be kept informed of the status of the assets as Westmorland and Furness Council implements its own Property Disposal Policy.

The Council looks forward to starting a dialogue with Westmorland & Furness Council regarding these assets.

Penrith Town Council considers issues regarding highway safety, however we cannot act independently and must work with partners, namely Cumbria Police and Highways, particularly in the deployment of mobile and permanent Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) or in the provision of other highways issues which are governed by numerous regulations.

What issues have we raised and worked with partners and resolved:

• Had the crossing on Friargate assessed and new beacons fitted.
• Reported numerous issues with dangerous paving slabs and drainage channels across pavements that have been fixed.
• Reported numerous blocked drains following information from residents.
• Speeding issues on Inglewood Rd where the 30mph zone has been extended and there is signage regarding cyclists and horse riders.
• Dangerous junction where Inglewood Road meets Salkeld Road has been reconfigured to make it safer.
• Introduction of a 20mph zone and signage in Pategill.
• Worn road markings have been re-painted.
• SIDs have been installed at Beacon Edge, Bridge Lane, Carleton Road and Oak Road.

Other issues raised by the Town Council and still ongoing as investigative work needs to be undertaken by partners include;

• Getting a safer crossing point from New Squares to Angel Square – evidence has been collected over a period of time and plans are being drawn up by Highways to make this crossing safer for the public.
• A pedestrian crossing on Carleton Road
• The mini roundabouts at Fell Lane / Sandgate
• A town wide 20mph zone
• The installation of additional SIDs as required
• Resurrection of 3hr parking between the entrance to Castle Park and Castle Hill Drive.

In 2020, Penrith Town Council resolved to support the Slow Ways Project, an initiative to create a network of walking routes connecting all of Great Britain’s towns, cities and villages by promoting it through the press, on our social media pages and to local community groups. As it was some time ago we wanted to remind people of this great initiative.

Slow Ways uses existing paths, ways, trails and roads that could be walked or cycled, combining them to create longer distance trips. There are currently over 8000 Slow Ways stretching over 12,000km. Anyone can get involved either as an individual or as a group by walking a Slow Ways route from the website then leaving a review on the Slow Ways website at https://beta.slowways.org/ or by considering where new paths might strengthen the network.