A CONSULTATION into the development of a garden village that will shape the future of Carlisle - creating up to 10,000 quality homes, new employment opportunities, community facilities and a new southern link road - gets underway today.

Consultants Arup has come up with a series of options as to how St Cuthbert’s Garden Village could look in the future.

But the city council, which has organised a series of consultation events, is not asking people to vote for one of three options.

It wants people to look at the options - compact communities, connected communities and edge communities - and say what they like and dislike about each of the schemes.

Ideas from each of the options will eventually form part of a masterplan that will be put forward for the Local Plan.

Of the 14 sites included in the Government’s garden village programme, St Cuthbert’s is by far the largest in terms of its potential capacity.

It is also one of only two Garden Villages north of Manchester and easily among the most ambitious development projects being actively progressed within the north of England.

The masterplan will cover:

  • Land use - expressing the location, extent, type and mix of development including housing, commercial, retail, community and other uses;
  • Movement and access - highlighting new and enhanced routes to create a well-connected place for walking, cycling and public transport and other vehicles;
  • Green and blue infrastructure - identifying the location and function of new and enhanced green and blue spaces across the area;
  • Urban design - defining important gateways, focal points, views and frontages together with the interface between new development and existing villages.

For example the compact communities might see three small communities around Durdar, Cummersdale and Carleton with a central east to west greenway connecting the new settlements for active outdoor uses, including walking and cycling, with potential links into Carlisle.

Whereas the connected community might see more dispersed village clusters set within a more natural landscape with a more rural village-like character. It might see a series of local retail services connected by clearly marked walking and cycling routes.

And the edge communities might see some smaller ‘urban infill’ on the edge of the city in addition to focus on Durdar, Cummersdale and Carleton. With a landscape approach that is anchored around farming and food growing with routes through the landscape for walkers and cyclists.

Garry Legg, investment and policy manager at Carlisle City Council, said: “Areas like Cummersdale and Carleton will see quite significant changes.

“We would like them to engage with us. We’d like them to come and meet the team and understand what is being proposed. The consultation sessions are held in different venues and at different times to give everyone the chance to see what is being proposed. We hope to get as many people through the doors as possible. We’re not asking which option is their favourite but what do they see as the strengths and weaknesses in each. We’re looking for a robust preferred option.”

Jane Meek, director of economic development with Carlisle City Council, said: “We want the public to tell us which bits they like.

“We are developing something that won’t be completed for some time but we need to future proof the development and keep abreast of how things change.

“It is very exciting from a professional and technical point of view.”