Carlisle Central Plaza: Proposals sought for site of demolished hotel

More than 7,000 tonnes of rubble were removed from the site during the demolition

Development proposals are being sought for the site of a former hotel in Cumbria which was demolished amid fears it could collapse.

Work to knock down the former Grade II listed Central Plaza in Carlisle was completed in 2020.

The city council said it had secured cash from the government's Future High Street Fund to help redevelop the "prime" city centre site.

Proposals must be submitted by the end of January.

The hotel closed in 2004 with the building falling into disrepair. Its exterior was cloaked in scaffolding for several years before demolition teams moved in.

The former hotel was knocked down over structural fears

The site is opposite what will be the University of Cumbria's new Citadels Campus, which is expected to welcome about 3,000 students from 2026 following a £70m transformation.

Architectural studies have shown the former hotel site could be suitable for a five or six-storey commercial or residential development, with the council saying it would consider all proposals.

Council leader John Mallinson said it was "a great opportunity for a developer to bring forward a new economic use for the site and be part of the regeneration of this part of the city centre".