Local residents invited to see future plans
(Date of issue: Monday, 27 July 2009)
Local Rockcliffe and Kingmoor residents have been invited to an
open day at the location of a new Carlisle City Council Gypsy and
Traveller site this Wednesday (29 July)
The event will be held between 1pm and 5m at the Ghyll Bank,
Harker site and will provide the chance to speak to representatives
from the City Council and other agencies.
A £1.96million Carlisle City Council funding bid to provide a
new local authority managed Gypsy and Traveller site was given the
go ahead by the Government late last year. The open day is an
opportunity for local residents to see what is planned for the
site.
The City Council was the only council in Cumbria to submit a bid
for a Communities and Local Government’s Gypsy and Traveller Site
Grant. In the North West, there is £4million available, over the
next two years, for local authorities to bid for.
Cllr Olwyn Luckley, Portfolio Holder for Health and Community
Development, said:
“There is an identified unmet need for a new site
within Carlisle that we must address and the Government bidding
process provided an opportunity to attract funding into the area to
provide a quality site built to Government design standards that
will be managed well.
“We believe that all our communities, including
the Gypsy and Traveller community, should have access to good
quality housing and accommodation, health care and education. Our
proposals for a new site aim to meet these needs. We hope that
local residents take up the opportunity to visit the site and give
us their views.”
The site is to be located at Ghyll Bank, in the north east of
the city. The grant will be used to include an area for 15 pitches
designed to current guidelines and each pitch will have an amenity
block, adequate space for parking and space for caravan
accommodation.
Within the new site layout, there will also be a children’s play
area, street lighting and a communal room for residents. As well as
these new facilities, a manager and site office will be located on
the site.
Work is due to start on the site in autumn and aims to open in
early 2010.