Controversial plans to transform Penrith Town Hall into a cultural hub have taken a major step forward.
Westmorland and Furness Council’s cabinet agreed the outline business case for the project, with a full business case expected in December.
The project is part of the wider Inspiring Eden project, which received a £7.09 million grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government last year.
The outline budget for the town hall is estimated at £5.74 million.
The project will also be supported by £500,000 from the Borderlands Place Programme.
Proposals include:
- A flexible 100-seat to 120-seat performance and event space
- Flexible creative and community spaces
- Performance, rehearsal and education space for performing arts and community use
- Youth and creative digital space provision
- A café/bar and commercial kitchen to be run as a community kitchen
- Digital skills and innovation spaces
- Rentable office and meeting space
The authority said a formal consultation would also begin on a proposal to move the Penrith and Eden Museum service into the refurbished building.
Cabinet members also agreed not to progress with the Eden Enterprise Hub project in the former Barclays bank building in Market Square.
The council said the financial position had changed significantly, with continued pressure on budgets, which it blamed on the Government’s Fair Funding Review, rising costs and growing demand for essential services.
It added that the enterprise hub would be likely to require significant continued financial support and was not financially sustainable in the long term.
Councillor Andrew Jarvis said: “These are unprecedented times for local government finance, with more pressure than ever before on our budgets. The original enterprise hub concept was strong.
“But the financial environment has changed and the revenue pressures associated with the Barclays building make the enterprise hub scheme financially unsustainable. Continuing would expose the council to unacceptable financial risk.
“We do understand the need for economic support in Penrith and the Eden locality and so have allocated more than £2 million to support this sector in other ways. We look forward to working with partners and officials to identify the most effective and efficient ways of using this money to benefit businesses.”
Up to £2.03 million of the funding originally allocated for the enterprise hub will support other regeneration priorities in Penrith and Eden.
