Vision for Carlisle City Centre improvements revealed
Plans to rejuvenate Carlisle city centre have been unveiled by the city council.
A report by the council’s ‘Place Panel’ has outlined a series of proposals for redeveloping the Greenmarket and Market Square areas of the city centre.
Due to “significant changes in shopping behaviour, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, with more people purchasing goods online”, Carlisle has lost several high street retail chains, such as Debenhams and the Arcadia Group (Topshop, Burton, Dorothy Perkins).
Three concepts have been suggested for both the Greenmarket and Market Square.
Concepts for the Greenmarket include maximising green spaces – new trees, plants and a raised lawn, creating a "quiet contemplative space" around the War Memorial, and large street planters either side of the Crown & Mitre Hotel entrance.
Other ideas, such as a "sunken flexible events space," and water jets that can be switched off to accommodate temporary events, such as a continental street market.
Proposals for the Market Square also focus on a greener environment, including more and better positioned mature trees, the creation of green edging to the Market Square with raised planters on the west side, and integrated seating to provide sheltered places to sit.
Feature lighting to illuminate the area at night and temporary artist installations are also included in plans for the Market Square, which will also see enhanced paving around the Market Cross.
Each proposal aims to improve the public accessibility of the area to make it a more attractive space and to enhance infrastructure such as water, electricity, and drainage.
This will enable the city centre to host different kinds of events - such as an open-air cinema in the summer months or an ice rink in winter - with the objective of encouraging people to visit and stay longer.
A public consultation was carried out throughout 2022, and the feedback gathered will be used to develop final proposals which the public will be able to comment on later this year.
The project has a £2.7 million budget, with £2.38 million from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund, and £390,000 from Carlisle City Council. The city centre project is part of a wider city centre strategy which includes investment in the Citadels, Caldew Riverside and Carlisle Railway Station.
The responses to the public consultation exercise revealed that the biggest priorities for the area were:
Reducing the number of vacant properties and encouraging creative new uses.
Improving pedestrian access by reducing vehicle movements and enhancing the pavements.
Increasing the amount of green space and more planting.
More evening activity and better lighting to make the space feel safer at night.
Better seating with more places to sit comfortably.
Creating a greater performance space for events and performances.
The most popular ideas for events and entertainment included:
Seasonal events such as Christmas lights and summer fairs.
Local, specialist and international markets.
Live music and staged events.
Street performances .
Parades and important civic events.
Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Carlisle City Council’s portfolio holder for Economy, Enterprise and Housing, said: “We’re delighted with the positive responses to the consultation. We appreciate all the comments and feedback.
“The city centre’s Greenmarket and Market Square are important sites and the concepts drawn together for the second-stage consultation highlighted how they could be better utilised. Working with partners, we’ll assess the consultation responses and plans will be drawn up for the areas.”
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