AS 2022 draws to a close and the finishing touches are made to the £27 million redevelopment of the Sands Centre, plans are underway for more exciting projects in Carlisle going into 2023 and beyond.

In terms of business development, a multi-million-pound leisure scheme hopes to arrive in Carlisle in time for Christmas 2023.

A planning application has gone into Carlisle City Council to convert part of the Lowther Street Cark Park into STACK Carlisle – an entertainment, food and drink venue.

If successful, it will see the creation of a container village made up of around 50 shipping containers with a retractable glass roof which will house five bars, 10 street food outlets, a central plaza with a balcony and a stage area for live music - and the applicants say it will create around 160 jobs.

Other plans are afoot. For example, planning has also been approved by Carlisle City Council for a new convenience store in Carlisle city centre.

Permission has been granted for a new store at 81 – 85 English Street in Carlisle to create a new shop front at the unit which was the site of the ‘Edinburgh Woollen Mill’ store until 2020.

In terms of housing, 2023 will see progress towards the vast new 10,000-home St Cuthbert's Garden Village on the southern edge of the city. But housing applications are also being approved elsewhere.

An application to build more than 150 homes on the outskirts of Carlisle has been approved by Carlisle City Council. The authority's development control committee unanimously approved a reserved matters planning application from Penrith-based Genesis Homes for 150+ 'high-specification' homes to be built on land near Cumberland House Clinic, west of Cumwhinton Drive.

Further plans for the transformation of the Citadels into a state-of-the-art campus for the University of Cumbria are expected.

£50 million has been allocated from the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal for the regeneration project as well as £23.5 million from the university’s funds.

A further £4 million will be provided by Carlisle Town Deal for a UofC Business Exchange Centre.

The site of the former central plaza hotel has been placed up for a redevelopment opportunity as part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal and £20 million is available for the redevelopment of Carlisle railway station.

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