An increase in budgets for two major regeneration projects in Maryport have been put in place due to the rising cost of building materials and construction.
Allerdale council wants to transform Christ Church into the new home of Maryport Maritime Museum and turn the Carlton Cinema into an arts, events and performance centre.
It has awarded contracts for developers to start work on the projects but cash allocated for the schemes – a combination of grants from the Future High Streets Fund, Historic England money and matched funding from the council – have increased dramatically, the authority said, due to rising costs and the highest inflation levels for 40 years.
Allerdale’s executive has agreed to abandon plans for Empire Yard – which would have seen the area become a ‘market and arts space’ – and instead reallocate its £150,000 budget plus £292,698 from the Residential Grants Scheme.
An Allerdale spokesman said: “The Empire Yard site and vacant units are not under the ownership of Allerdale Borough Council, and it has proved impossible to agree the acquisition of the area with the landowners.”
The executive also approved the release of £236,059 of funding from the council’s regeneration and investment budget to support the delivery of the Christ Church and Carlton projects.
The schemes are part of a successful bid to the Government’s Future High Streets Fund which awarded £11.6 million for Maryport.
This was supported by match funding from the council of £724,000. The initiatives also include improvements to public realm through the town centre, and the Love Maryport Living residential conversion scheme which is bringing town centre homes above businesses back to life.
Leader of Allerdale council, Mike Johnson said: “I’m delighted to see that the award of construction contracts on these flagship projects, and the increase in budget for two of the biggest regeneration projects in Maryport have been unanimously agreed.
“Through our strategic approach to commissioning and procurement, we have been able to drive value for money by maximising competition for contracts – reducing costs by over £1million from the initial cost estimates – while simultaneously enabling more local suppliers to participate in the procurement exercises and working with experienced partner organisations to provide viable and sustainable facilities in the long term.
“This decision is a significant step forward in the delivery of Allerdale’s exciting Maryport regeneration programme and fantastic news for Maryport.”
