By Julian Whittle

Published at 11:46, Tuesday, 05 August 2008

SAVE Our Streets campaigners are demanding to know where they stand in the light of an apparent U-turn on plans to redevelop Carlisle’s Rickergate.

Elizabeth Allnott: Written to Renaissance chief

The group is opposed to proposals to bulldoze much of the area to create a plaza with shops, offices and a hotel.

It welcomed comments last month from Bryan Gray, chairman of Carlisle Renaissance, who implied the scheme had been shelved.

Those comments were given added weight when the new private-sector led Renaissance board announced it was concentrating on four “transformational actions”, none of which referred to Rickergate.

Now Elizabeth Allnutt, secretary of Save Our Streets, has written to the Renaissance programme director, Ian McNichol, asking for clarification.

She wants to know what plans there are for Rickergate and how much has been spent by the city council on drawing up a development brief.

She also asks if the policy of buying up property has been dropped.

And she queries what will happen to Adriano’s Restaurant and 8 Warwick Street, which have already been purchased at a cost of £900,000.

Her letter says: “I would appreciate an early response. Local residents and business people are not surprisingly concerned about their future and need firm answers to these questions.”

The group met Mr Gray last month and was encouraged by what he said.

He also told our sister newspaper, The Cumberland News, that Renaissance schemes could go ahead only if they had a wide degree of support.

Mr Gray said: “We need to take stock, pause, reflect, agree priorities and then move forward with the city’s agreement and support.

“You can’t impose the kind of things we want to do.

“It’s not about having votes and narrow majorities. It’s about taking people with you and doing sensible things.

“Why are we arguing about something that may never happen because it’s not sensible?”

JWhittle@cngroup.co.uk

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk