THE council has said that the ongoing demolition of the Cumbrian Newspapers building in Carlisle will require planning permission to be granted retrospectively.
Newspaper House on Dalston Road, once the home of CN Media’s and later Newsquest’s north and west Cumbrian titles, is currently being demolished.
Apex Engineering, the company overseeing the site and its demolition, said earlier this week that asbestos removal has taken place.
A Cumberland Council spokesperson confirmed that the site owner doesn’t currently have planning permission for the works.
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“Although building control is in place, no planning application has, as yet, been submitted for the demolition works," they said.
“We have contacted the owner of the building to make them aware that retrospective planning approval is required.”
The new building owners applied to building control for a demolition notice which was approved at the end of August, and planning consent has previously been given for demolition of the Press Hall building, the spokesperson added.
Towards the end of 2021, the Press Hall, which was situated at the rear of Newspaper House, was demolished.
The iconic building, which used to house the printing press and despatch areas, saw millions of newspaper editions come off the presses until 2018.
The printing of publications was moved to Newsquest’s state-of-the-art print centre in Cambuslang, Glasgow.
The News & Star and The Cumberland News editorial and commercial teams now operate out of the purpose-built LocaliQ House on Newsquest's premises across the car park from Newspaper House.
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