Workington Town Deal including a vision for the town, focusing on growing the economy and employment. Focusing on its strengths in manufacturing and clean energy, and its role as West Cumbria’s primary service centre. It aims to attract new and growing businesses through offering a skilled workforce, a competitive cost base, and localised support.  

Schemes include:

As part of the government’s Levelling Up Fund, £9.6m will be provided for this major project in the centre of Workington, with a further £1m coming from partner organisations.

  • The plans will see improvements to the Ramsey Brow junction and road widening on Hall Brow. This area is a key pinch-point for traffic in the town and the redevelopment of the highways will improve access to key employment and infrastructure sites such as the port of Workington and complement the investment already secured through the Workington Town Deal.  
  • Also included in the plans are improvements to the local cycling and walking facilities in the area with an east/west cycle route through Hall Park and better crossings on Hall Brow and Ramsey Brow to Hall Park.   
  • There are also plans to make the park more attractive and accessible. This includes improved lighting for Workington Hall, and the creation of a Walled Garden Social Enterprise Centre in partnership with West House. The proposed walled garden will create a centre that provides training and employability skills to adults with learning disabilities and will support local community groups and schools through the provision of horticultural activities within on-site gardening and wildlife areas. Plans also include the installation of a new café.

Cleator Moor

Cleator Moor secured a Town Deal worth £40.9m with £22.5 million coming from the Government’s Towns Fund and a further £18.4m from match funders.

The Cleator Moor Town Deal will oversee the delivery of four projects that will provide a long term boost to levels of health and economic prosperity in Cleator Moor, as well as employment opportunities and inward investment.

This will include the redevelopment of the existing Leconfield Industrial Estate to create an iSH Enterprise Campus, providing employment and training opportunities for residents in Cleator Moor as well as helping to diversify the local economy. The proposal will create new buildings on site including an iSH Enterprise Campus Hub, the refurbishment of existing units and extensive landscaping. The development of the site forms part of the wider regeneration programme being delivered across West Cumbria by iSH.

Cleator Moor is also benefitting from additional investment into Leconfield from round 2 of the government’s Levelling Up Fund – £20m will support the expansion of the current site footprint, providing additional engineering and R&D units and further opportunities for investment.

Invest in Carlisle schemes

This is an exciting time for Carlisle, with significant investment opportunities for the city coming forward. Carlisle is one of the key partners in the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, a £394.5 million growth deal signed by both UK and Scottish governments, with Dumfries and Galloway Council, Northumberland County Council and Scottish Borders Council. This aims to transform the region, and support Carlisle as the capital of the Borderlands.

Carlisle also has opportunities to transform the city through the Towns Fund and Future High Street Fund, with £28.8 million of investment secured through both funds to invest in regenerating the city.

Maryport Regeneration Scheme

The plan includes public realm improvements, bringing vacant units back into use, and connecting spaces. The aim is to draw new users to Maryport while increasing footfall and demand along the high street.

Millom Town Deal

Millom was successful in securing £20.6m from the Government’s Town Deal fund with a further £8.7m in match funding. The Towns Fund aims to provide investment to drive long term economic growth. The money will be used to deliver transformational projects outlined in the Millom Town Investment Plan, supporting opportunities in the tourism, leisure, arts and culture sectors.

The Iron Line is an exciting opportunity to reimagine Millom’s natural heritage and industrial past into a new attraction for the town. Millom town centre will be significantly improved with derelict, vacant and underutilised heritage buildings brought back into active use enhanced by a new, attractive public realm. The restored properties could be used for community events, arts and culture, housing, retail, education and employment.

The town’s transport network will be improved with the railway station becoming a hub and gateway to the town. Cycling and walking routes and junctions would be transformed to create a safer and better connected routes for people to use, improving their health and encouraging them to stay longer in the town centre.