Plans have been approved for the demolition of a Carlisle city centre building.
Paton House, on Victoria Viaduct, will be demolished after proposals were approved by Carlisle City Council’s development control committee on Friday.
The demolition was concluded to be necessary by Carlisle City Council owing to the fact the interwar Art Deco building is “gradually falling into a state of disrepair”.
Its demolition will contribute toward the wider plans the city council has for the transformation of the area, including a redevelopment of the historic Citadels buildings close by.
Commenting on the proposals, Cathedral and Castle councillor Anne Glendinning agreed that the building is “getting into a state of disrepair.”
She added that demolishing Paton House will “make that area better for the plans that the council has got for the future of that area.
“I think it will improve the area.”
Corporate director of economic development, Jane Meek, said that the city council had been in “long negotiations with the head leasee of this property, and the tenants, as in Laser Quest, The Bed Shop, etc”, adding that the tenants have now “all got alternative accommodation”.
“There was funding available as part of the negotiations to enable them to move out of Paton House into their new accommodation,” she said.
Denton Holme and Morton South councillor Ruth Alcroft added that she felt “a slight sense of sadness over this once very imposing building”.
“It would have been beautiful to see it all restored,” she said, “but we do need to be looking forward, and how this can benefit the city going forward.”
