How much has Carlisle changed over the past 20 years? 

In order to find out, we've used Google Earth Pro to capture satellite imagery of developments around Carlisle with how they look now in 2023 and compared them with images in 2003.

The 'darker' image on the left is the newer shot, with the image on the right from two decades ago. 

Carlisle Lake District Airport hasn't changed much in the course of 20 years, except for a reduction in the length of some of the runways to make way for the newly built terminal building. 

Whilst the airport has lain dormant since 2020, plans were laid out last year to get planes back up in the air as the Esken Group, formerly Stobart Group Limited, looks to recover from the fallout associated with the pandemic.

The Esken group indicated that the airport, situated five miles north of Carlisle, will be assessing potential avenues in using the premise to also include military aviation and business jets, as well as ambitions to become a hub for air freight transportation.

Looking at Kingstown Industrial Estate, there is a clear increase in businesses moving within the enterprise zone over the course of two decades.  

And with growth of industry, comes additional housing which can be seen running up and down Kingstown road. 

You'll notice the difference since the development of Story Homes' Aspen Grange housing, just before the roundabout onto the M6. 

As Carlisle saw its population rise over the last decade, more housing has appeared in areas such as Harraby and Garlands, emphasised in particular next to the Carleton Clinic.

More housing is set to follow after work to construct 157 homes was unanimously approved by Carlisle City Council’s development control committee last December, west of Cumwhinton Drive.  

Perhaps some things haven't changed much at all over 20 years though, especially considering the shape of the town's centre. 

However, running these comparisons again in a few years time, there will sure to be some major transformations on the map.  

In particular, with the addition of 10,000 homes in the south of the city, the Southern link road, as well as the 'transformative' Citadel project -  due to be complete in 2026.