Consultation on new Design Guide

Public exhibition starts six-week consultation

Local residents are being asked to give their views on plans to raise the quality of Carlisle’s city centre areas.

The draft Carlisle City Council planning guide sets out a blueprint for how key parts of the city could be developed. The ‘Urban Design Guide and Public Realm Framework’ is intended as a handbook for developers, architects and designers and is out for public consultation from next Monday (16 June) for a six-week period.

As part of the public consultation, an exhibition will be held in the Tourist Information Centre’s Assembly Rooms on:

The exhibition will set out why the Urban Design Guide and Public Framework document has been compiled and what suggestions have been forward by consultant’s Gilliespies, to improve city centre public spaces and buildings.

The technical planning document includes guidance and principles on how buildings should be designed throughout the city centre as well as setting out how the city’s public spaces can be improved including paving materials, seating and lighting.

Four "city squares" – Court Square, Market Square, Rickergate Square and a new square at Caldew Riverside (Viaduct Estate), where the University of Cumbria is proposing its new headquarters, are all suggested. Plans are also proposed for the Caldewgate and Shaddongate area, in addition to the Botchergate South area.

Copies of the document will be available, throughout the six-week consultation period at the Civic Centre’s Customer Contact Centre, the city centre Library (based in The Lanes) and an online version is also available on the City Council’s website www.carlisle.gov.uk

Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, said:

"Carlisle has a unique and important array of buildings and open spaces in its city centre. This new draft planning guideline document will help us have stronger planning regulations so we can make sure that we have well designed, high quality buildings and public spaces. This will help define how the city will look and develop in the future.

"This is another important step forward for Carlisle Renaissance and we urge local residents to give us their views on the design principles, including making the city centre more accessible and pedestrian friendly."

Comments are sought on the document by Thursday, 31 July.

Written responses can be sent to:

Local Plans and Conservation Manager,

Carlisle City Council,

Civic Centre,

Carlisle,

CA3 8QG

They may also be handed in at the public exhibition or emailed to lpc@carlisle.gov.uk

Feedback on the responses will be made in early autumn.