Hyas have continued their impressive record of supporting local authorities to receive funding towards the planning and delivery of major projects across the country. In addition to helping a number of local authorities achieve nearly £1.2m of Garden Settlement Capacity Funding in 2021/22, an ambitious plan to create a unique housing and economic development scheme for Carlisle has received a £750,000 funding boost from the Government, as part of the New Development Corporation Competition.
Hyas have been supporting the Council in the masterplanning and delivery of St Cuthbert’s Garden Village for over 4 years and recently led on the submission for funding to MHCLG in relation to the creation of a bespoke delivery mechanism. The recently announced funding is one of only 4 successful schemes across England and will support the delivery of new garden communities to the south of Carlisle, ultimately delivering over 10,000 new homes. The £750,000 funding will be used to create a business case for a delivery mechanism that will be unique in the north of England and can be used as a template for others to follow.
Stephen Hill, Director with Hyas explained “St Cuthbert’s requires strong public/private leadership and partnership working over the long term and we have been exploring options for an appropriate delivery mechanism to help achieve this. Our bid set out a clear, costed programme of how we can deliver this business case over the next two to three years and with Government support, we can start work on the next exciting chapter for St Cuthbert’s, Carlisle and the Borderlands.”
Cllr Paul Nedved, Portfolio holder for Economy, Enterprise and Housing, welcomed the funding and said:
“St Cuthbert’s forms a key part of the wider growth strategy for Carlisle and the Borderland region. We want to ensure that Carlisle grows in a way that creates quality homes and is properly planned across the coming decades.
“We’re delighted with the Government funding announcement and thank Hyas for their hard work in enabling our approval. This is a further funding boost for Carlisle and is in addition to the multi-million pounds investment already received through the Town Deal, Future High Street and the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.
“St Cuthbert’s Garden Village has a clear vision, set of principles and masterplan to define the high quality, sustainable new communities that will enhance Carlisle’s environment and economy.”
St Cuthbert’s Garden Village, Carlisle
The adopted Carlisle District Local Plan 2015 – 2030 identified Carlisle South as a broad location for growth of a major mixed-use development, providing up to 10,000 new homes, to the south of the city. Now known as St Cuthbert’s, it secured Garden Village status in January 2017 and is the largest of the Garden Villages in the north. Carlisle City Council wants to ensure that Carlisle grows in a way that creates quality homes and is properly planned across the coming decades. The ambition is that St Cuthbert’s will be a very high-quality new settlement, delivering a significant number of new homes and job opportunities, all within a superb landscape and environment that will transform Carlisle. As a World Health Organisation ‘Healthy City’, they intend to deliver a garden village that ‘Starts with the Park’ where the delivery and long term stewardship of the green and blue infrastructure will encourage a new healthier way of living, enhancing the health and well-being of both future residents of St Cuthbert’s and the existing population of Carlisle.
With funding from Homes England, the planned completion of the Carlisle Southern Link Road in 2024 will be critical to unlocking St Cuthbert’s full potential. St Cuthbert’s will meet the need for sustainable housing growth over the next 30 years, making Carlisle the place of choice for those wishing to feel the benefits of living in the countryside with the convenience, connectivity and opportunities of a major city.
Hyas have worked closely with Carlisle City Council on extensive engagement with local communities, key stakeholders and the wide range of private landowners for over three years to develop and finalise the Masterplanning Framework (October 2020). Following the Masterplan’s approval, Hyas led on the preparation of Strategic Design Supplementary Planning Document for St Cuthbert’s, adopted in April 2021. In part, this will guide early applications ahead of the Local Plan’s adoption. Hyas continue to support the preparation of the St Cuthbert’s Development Plan Document, to guide the first development phase.
For more information on St Cuthbert’s, please see www.stcuthbertsgv.co.uk
