The retrofit of Penrith’s Voreda House to net zero carbon design principles is continuing with the removal of the building’s external cladding.

Residents will have noticed a significant change to the look of the former NHS office block as onsite developments over the last few weeks have seen the removal of all of the building’s external cladding, leaving only a concrete shell ahead of reconstruction work beginning.

Once the refurbishment work is completed, Voreda House will become Eden District Council’s new single site net zero carbon headquarters.

The council had been looking for premises to accommodate its staff and deliver services from a single site for a number of years.

The acquisition of Voreda House from the NHS in July 2020 has provided an opportunity for the council to move out of its outdated and expensive to maintain Town Hall and Mansion House offices to create a new model of integrated public services with partner organisations in a fit-for-purpose modern office environment.

Karen Greenwood, Resources Portfolio Holder, said: "By retrofitting Voreda House, we’ve avoided the costs, delays and disruption associated with building from scratch.

"We’re also creating a new, fit for purpose space for our customers, staff and partners that will be an attractive location for the new Westmorland and Furness unitary authority, which will replace Eden District Council in April 2023.

"The move to Voreda House will deliver immediate savings in excess of £190,000 per year on the operational costs associated with maintaining our existing office space in its current form, while allowing for the sale of Mansion House and the repurposing of the Town Hall as a community asset making a significant contribution to the economic and cultural fabric of Penrith and the wider area."

Eden District Council Leader, Cllr Virginia Taylor, said: "Even though Eden District Council will soon be part of the bigger Westmorland and Furness council, local services will still be delivered locally and residents will still need to contact their council.

"Voreda House will be a state of the art building where Council staff and partners can offer a one-stop shop for residents and a hub for colleagues to work together with and for the community."