Whitehaven £25m regeneration scheme plans unveiled

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Artist's impression of new cycle hubImage source, Copeland Borough Council
Image caption,

The cycle hub will offer sales, hire, storage and repairs of bikes and e-bikes

Plans have been unveiled for a £25m regeneration of Whitehaven.

Copeland Borough Council has developed plans to link the town centre with the harbour by creating a food court and small-scale leisure spaces.

A digital hub, a cycle hub on the former Barclays Bank site and a seafood restaurant on Marlborough Street are also part of the development.

Mayor of Copeland Mike Starkie said it would be "fantastic" to "completely revitalise" the place.

Image caption,

The town centre and the harbour will be connected by creating new arcades between King Street and Strand Street

The council has already secured £1,056,649 from the Local Growth Fund, and Cumbria's Local Enterprise Partnership has confirmed match-funding towards the scheme.

Council bosses are hoping for a further £15m from a bid to the government's Future High Streets Fund.

Mr Starkie said: "I think when people can see fantastic schemes like this starting to take shape, it's uplifting and it creates a bit of optimism for the future."

Consultation is under way, external, with work on the scheme expected to get under way in 2021 if funding is approved.

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