Council leaders have welcomed news that Carlisle has secured the £102m it needs to build a long-awaited southern bypass.

The Government has agreed it will fund the lion’s share of the £112m project, with the remaining £10m being split between Cumbria County Council and Carlisle City Council.

The two authorities will then recoup this investment from future developer contributions as part of the garden village scheme.

County council leader Stewart Young, said: “I’m delighted that government have awarded us the funds to deliver the Carlisle Southern Link Road. We’ve been clear from the very beginning of this process that this strategic road will provide significant benefits for Carlisle and the whole county, helping unlock both housing and economic growth.

“Thanks must go to the teams who worked so hard on the business case submission to secure this funding as we were up against councils from across the country who were also doing all they could to promote their schemes and win the government over.”

Colin Glover, city council leader, added: “I’m delighted that the government funding has been confirmed. It will provide significant support for the St Cuthbert’s Garden Village proposals and will benefit the city as a whole. This is yet another important step forward for the growth of Carlisle.”

The next step is to secure planning permission and develop the design. Construction work is then expected to start in spring 2021, taking two years.