Maryport’s £12m harbour regen gets seal of approval
An event space featuring a splash park, pop-up stage, outdoor seating areas, marquee, and market stall will be developed on underused grassland.
Flimby-based contractor Thomas Armstrong can now start work and will be on-site before the end of this month.
The £12m venue will be located at the harbour next to the Aquarium and Shiver Me Timbers play area and has been financed with money drawn from the government’s Future High Streets Fund.
This week Cumberland Council’s planning committee approved the proposals which sketched the creation of an event space with accessibility in mind, allowing families, wheelchair users, and people of all ages to visit.
It has been made possible by the Maryport Marina and Harbour Authority making the site available for development. Maryport Town Council will be responsible for managing the site.
Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said: “Bringing this scheme to fruition has been a real team effort and I am grateful to the harbour authority and town council for their assistance.
“Until now, there has never been a purpose-built location in Maryport to hold events like this and we have had to buy in the necessary infrastructure to stage live performances and producers’ markets. Now we will have a properly designed space to host yet more brilliant experiences for local people and visitors alike.
“Maryport is a town on the up and Cumberland Council’s regeneration team is working hard to bring £12m of challenging and ambitious schemes to fruition. This is just the latest exciting development and I cannot wait to see it completed.”
Cllr Linda Radcliffe, mayor of Maryport, added: “This kind of outdoor entertainment space would be a bonus to any community and it is especially welcomed in Maryport as we currently have no specific facilities for large events.
“The location could not be better as it sits adjacent to the harbour facilities, including the popular Marina. When the plans are developed it will be a flexible space with the assets required by many organisations and groups of all ages.”
The project team features Align Property Partners, Thomas Armstrong (Construction), Max Fordham, Westwood Landscape, Envirotech, and Roberts Environmental.
To view the plans, search for application number FUL/2024/0083 on Cumberland Council’s planning portal.
