Residents and businesses asked to have their say

Date of issue: Thursday 30 September 2010

Local residents and businesses in the Water Street area of Carlisle are being asked to have their say on proposals to build new Families and Women’s accommodation.

Carlisle City Council has written to households and business that run adjacent to the proposed new site.

The accommodation seeks to replace the London Road facility which has been in operation since 1975 and is no longer ‘fit for purpose’. It is not accessible for people with disabilities and requires residents to share facilities and, in some circumstances, bedrooms.

A site at Wood Street/Bright Street, Carlisle was originally proposed for the new purpose built accommodation. The Executive requested that residents should be consulted about this site and, at the same time, other sites to be investigated. Following consultation with local residents, from that area, and further investigation into other sites, Water Street is now seen as a possible option to go forward.

As part of an ongoing consultation exercise, other agencies have also been contacted for their views. These include the Police; who have raised no objection to the Water Street site being used as the location for the new accommodation.

The Water Street site will also provide an opportunity to bring brown field land back into use. There is potential for providing off- street parking for residents and also to landscape the site with trees, garden areas, play equipment and fencing.

All consultation views will be considered and will be reported back to the Executive Committee on Monday 25 October, including comments from the Community Overview and Scrutiny Panel who meet on Thursday 7 October.

The commissioning of the design work could be tendered out in January 2012. It is anticipated that work on site could start within 9-12 months dependent on the results of any application for planning permission. The new development could open in 2012.