Carlisle’s highways revamp to start as English Street picks up
The next phase of the city’s Southern Gateway project will see enhancements around English Street, where a Tesco deal signals a retail pitch on the up.
Cumberland Council has issued an update on an eight-week work programme that will enhance the pedestrian crossing area between the Cumberland Building Society, Santander, NatWest, and the former B&M.
The works come at a point when retail is picking up in English Street, with Tesco Express opening in 4,000 sq ft at the former House of Fraser store.
Caffé Nero, which previously had a concession in-store, has agreed a new lease and fully refitted, taking a standalone 2,000 sq ft.
A deal is now in solicitors’ hands that should see a further 5,000 sq ft accounted for to a national retailer, making most of the ground floor accounted for.
Agent Carigiet Cowen previously brought the expansive Loungers group to the city in the neighbouring ex-Top Shop unit.
The firm’s Ben Blain told Place North West: “English Street as a whole is a good news story, this has gone from a shut down department store to a stretch with some strong national brands. There’s a lot of positivity.”
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The highway upgrades, to start next week, will build on the recent improvements to English Street and link with last year’s Devonshire Street works.
The existing temporary tarmac will be replaced with a high-quality, permanent finish, helping to create a more attractive and accessible city centre.
This phase includes the construction of a raised table at the junction of Victoria Viaduct and English Street. The works will involve the installation of ducts, upgraded traffic signals, new kerbing and paving, and improved pedestrian crossings.
During this period, English Street and Devonshire Street will be closed to vehicles.
The Southern Gateway project forms part of the local authority’s £100m regeneration programme for Carlisle, which corrals funding from sources such as the Future High Streets Fund, Town Deal and Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal in a programme of improving infrastructure and access to support economic growth.
Plans for public realm enhancements around Carlisle’s mainline railway station, including the creation of a new pedestrian area called George Square, were approved earlier this month.
