[E]den District Council tonight (Thursday 19 April 2018) agreed recommendations to use £250,000 of government funding to assess plans to grow the local economy of Penrith until 2050, by developing a higher wage economy and delivering more quality housing by potentially developing land to the East of the town over the next 30 years.
Eden District Council’s Leader, Councillor Kevin Beaty, said: “We are embarking on a process which will help define how the future economic prosperity of our District could develop over the next 30 years. We are developing a long-term vision for Penrith and wider Eden until 2050, detailing where new higher paid jobs and much need quality housing could be placed.
“The money we have secured from central government will be used to carry out detailed research of these plans, to see if they are feasible based around highways, infrastructure and environmental assessments. We currently have consultants working on drafting a Master Plan for the future development of Penrith, including a strategic relief road to support these growth proposals, which would also ease traffic congestion on routes in and around Penrith and provide 600 acres of employment land and up to 8,000 new homes.”
Eden District Council was granted the £250,000 by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government as part of a successful Planning Delivery Plan Bid to support joint research with other agencies into the feasibility of a strategic relief road for Penrith, this road would connect the A66 with Junction 41 of the M6 to ease traffic congestion.
The District Council has been meeting with local stakeholders such as landowners and Town and Parish Councils to discuss the proposals which will be outlined in the forthcoming Penrith Master Plan. The Council’s Executive will be asked to approve the Master Plan at the end of June 2018, before it goes out for public consultation. Feedback received from the consultation will then be analysed and an updated final version of the Master Plan will then go before full Council for determination in the autumn.
The President of Penrith Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Stephen Macaulay, said: “The Council’s outline proposals for the future of Penrith to 2050 are already stimulating a healthy debate about the way Penrith’s economy could grow in the future. I am sure businesses and the wider public will be keen to see and give their views about the assessments and evidence contained in the Master Plan, when the public consultation starts later this summer.
“Developing the right long-term plan for the future of Penrith not only ensures we can maximise the area’s future potential and deliver the right amount of housing, infrastructure and employment land needed for job creation, but will also lead to inward investment of our existing town centre which is a key aspiration of our members.”
Councillor Beaty, said: “We are very keen to involve the public in this process about how Eden District develops in the future. It is very important that the significant government infrastructure investment that is going to taking place in Eden District matches our communities’ future aspirations for the area. By developing a clear blueprint for the future we can help government and developers see where and what type of development is appropriate to secure the long-term sustainability of the District. I look forward to unveiling the Master Plan and consulting with the public in the summer. ”
For more information about Eden District Council visit www.eden.gov.uk or call 01768 817817.
