Plans to build the new Carlisle Southern Link Road (CSLR) were given the green light today following approval of the planning application by the county council’s Development Control and Regulation Committee.
The CSLR will connect Junction 42 of the M6 with the A595 at Newby West. The planning application was submitted in October 2019 following extensive public consultation and numerous environmental surveys along the route of the new road. The 8km long 60mph road will include four new roundabouts, three new road bridges, a combined cycleway/footway on the northern side of the road with 4 new shared-use overbridges. The planning permission was granted subject to the council adhering to 41 planning conditions to ensure the road is built in line with the plans submitted.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced funding towards the new road in February 2019. On 23 July this year the council’s Cabinet agreed to enter into a funding agreement with Homes England for £134m. The council is actively procuring a contractor to undertake the detailed design and construction of the road. The works are due to commence on site in Spring 2022, it is anticipated the construction of the road will take approximately two years to complete.
The road will play a vital role in supporting both, the economic recovery of Cumbria following COVID-19, and the successful delivery of initiatives such as the St. Cuthbert’s Garden Village (SCGV). The SCGV is a scheme led by Carlisle City Council that will deliver 10,000 new homes and employment opportunities within Carlisle, bringing significant benefits to the city and the wider county. The delivery of the new road will also improve east – west connectivity to the south of the city, in particular improving road connections to West Cumbria.
Commenting on today’s decision Cllr Stewart Young, Leader of Cumbria County Council said: “This is another significant milestone in the project and brings us that one step closer towards creating this new strategic road that will provide so many benefits. It is key to helping unlock both housing and economic growth and investment at a time when our county really needs it the most.”
Cllr Keith Little, Cumbria County Council Cabinet member for Highways added: “The decision from the planning committee today follows on from the county council’s Cabinet decision in July which together shows total commitment to building this road and to improving our highways infrastructure in the county. This road is absolutely vital to not only the garden village project but to the wider economic benefits it brings to our county.”
Sophie White, Homes England’s Director of Infrastructure Grants, added: “We are delighted that we are supporting the county council with this multimillion-pound funding programme. This is an important milestone that brings us closer towards the delivery of the infrastructure that will enable the homes in the area to come forward.”
To read more about the CSLR please visit www.cumbria.gov.uk/cslr
For more information about St Cuthbert’s Garden Village, visit www.stcuthbertsgv.co.uk
The Housing Infrastructure Fund is administered and monitored by the government’s housing agency, Homes England. The programme is helping to deliver up to 300,000 new homes across England by providing local authorities with grant funding for new infrastructure, to unlock homes in areas of greatest housing demand.
