The council have received £120,000 to allow communities to lead the design process of the proposed garden village community of St Cuthbert's. 

Carlisle City Council is one of 25 areas in England to have been awarded a share of £3 million 'trialblazing intiative' announced by Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. 

The Design Code Pathfinder Programme will enable communities to have their opinion heard on the development of homes, building shops and workspace within their area, in a bid to help restore people’s pride in the places they live.

The initiative hopes to help local areas deliver more beautiful and sustainable communities, allowing residents to be heard on everything from local building materials to deciding on layout and street character. 

Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Portfolio holder for Economy, Enterprise and Housing said:  "Carlisle City Council and our partners have made significant progress in preparing the platform for design quality in the proposed garden village communities of St Cuthbert’s."

St Cuthbert’s Garden Village, Carlisle is a proposal that could include the development of around 10,000 new quality homes, new employment opportunities, community facilities alongside a new Southern Link Road. 

"As a World Health Organisation Healthy City, a key focus for St Cuthbert’s has always been to create an environment that encourages and facilitates healthy, sustainable living. Our principle of ‘Start with the Park’ is being implemented through our recently launched International Design Competition," she said. 

Gillespies, The Greenway Ribbon has been announced as the winner of the Start with the Park: St Cuthbert's Garden Village Competition.

"Our design code will focus on how we use the inspiration from the design of this key piece of green and blue infrastructure, to inform and shape the character of the wider Garden Village. 

"In particular, how we achieve a healthy and sustainable living environment for our new communities, with low carbon credentials at its heart and how we deal with key interfaces between built form and infrastructure," she said. 

It's been said that St Cuthbert's will meet the need for sustainable housing growth over the next 30 years within Carlisle. 

Housing Minister Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP said: "We want to give local people power over what their neighbourhoods look like and make sure all new developments enhance their surroundings and preserve local character and identity.

"Whether that’s choosing red brick for new buildings in our industrial heartland cities or choosing to set sustainability standards for newbuild homes, our Pathfinder Programme will help turn visions of greener, more beautiful homes and places into standards which developers adhere to.

"Many of the projects will focus on regeneration and deliver thriving town centres and green infrastructure, such as new walking and cycle routes," he said. 

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