Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet agreed a multi million pound funding deal for Carlisle South Link Road yesterday (July 23).
The funding agreement with Homes England is worth in excess of £134m and signifies a major milestone in the project.
The Link Road will help to boost Carlisle and Cumbria’s economic recoveries after the pandemic, as well as playing a vital role in the successful delivery of growth projects.
These include the St.Cuthberts Garden Village, a Carlisle City Council scheme set to deliver 10,000 new homes and employment opportunities to Cumbria and better east – west connectivity to the south of the city.
Commenting on the decision Stewart Young Leader of Cumbria County Council said:
“This is a key decision today and brings us one step closer towards creating this new strategic road that will provide significant benefits. It is key to helping unlock economic growth and investment at a time when our county needs it the most. It will help create jobs, attract businesses to invest and is key to providing both housing and economic growth.”
The next stage of the process will see the agreement signed as a ‘tripartite’ agreement between Homes England, on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government, Cumbria County Council and Carlist City Council.
The building of the Road will be the County Council’s responsibility, with a £5m contribution towards the project, matched by £5m from Carlisle City Council, which they both hope to recoup during the development.
Tenders will soon be made public inviting contractors to tender for the work, anticipated to being on site in 2022, and completed in 2024.
