ONE of Carlisle’s premier visitor attractions has been awarded a new 99-year lease by landlords Carlisle City Council.

The Tullie House Trust surrendered its lease to secure a longer-term agreement in a bid to help secure funding to fund ambitious plans for the landmark museum and art gallery.

The Trust had 22 years left of a 30-year lease on a peppercorn rent awarded by the city council in April 2011.

But a report before the authority’s executive revealed that this relatively short lease “inhibits application for grant funding”, prompting members to agree to extend it as the Trust’s request.

The report revealed that museum chiefs are “keen” to seek lottery funding and they hope to submit a formal application in August.

However, a “break clause” will be added to the lease should the council decide to terminate or not review the management arrangement with the Trust.

The report concluded that the awarding of the 99-year lease represents “best value” to the council.

It adds that the council’s “loss of control” of the building on Castle Street should be balanced against the “potential improvements” to the museum and gallery should the Trust’s funding bids be successful.

Gareth Ellis, the authority’s deputy leader, said the new deal “makes sense from their perspective and from ours.”

He added: “It gives them a security and allows them to apply for grants such as the Heritage Lottery Fund.

“We have a break clause in this which will allow us to terminate the lease if there is reason to do so, so it’s not a case of us being tied in. It will hopefully result in further investment in our buildings and services.”

The council agreed to surrender and re-grant the lease on final terms, with details of the break clause still to be thrashed out between leading councillors and officers.

The museum boasts zoological, botanical and geological exhibits, artworks by Pre-Raphaelite artists and a collection of stringed instruments.

It also houses important collections associated with Hadrian’s Wall, local history, and exhibitions dedicated to the Vikings and Border Reivers.

n The city council looks set to approve the spending of an additional £2.2m on capital projects across Carlisle.

The revised capital programme for the financial year 2019/20 is £28,739,700, an increase on an earlier figure of £25,071,200 agreed by the council in February.

The expenditure considered by the council’s executive this week takes account of an increase of £432,500 for additional Disabled Facilities Grant, taking the total grants paid out to £1,899,764.

A report stressed that the expenditure for 2019/20 and 2020/21 “may be amended” depending upon decisions on the re-development of the Sands Centre Redevelopment.

The slight increase has been attributed to commitments brought forward from the previous financial year 2018/19, of which £982,100 has already been approved.

Under the proposals, £120,000 worth of capital receipts are ring-fenced for the repayment of a grant to the Durranhill Industrial Estate.

The release of the earmarked cash will be delegated to the director of economic development, Jane Meek, in conjuction with with other senior officials and politicians.

The proposals are due to be put to the council formally in July.