Bright future prospects for Cumbria's border city

However, as much as history and heritage continue to play a major part in the life of the city, it is developments on the horizon in the very near future which are exciting its businesses and residents.
The much-anticipated £225million Southern Link Road, connecting Junction 42 of the M6 with the A595 at Newby West is due to be completed by next summer, enabling the development of 10,000 new homes at the equally anticipated St Cuthbert’s Garden Village.
Meanwhile, the Carlisle Station Gateway Project to rejuvenate the city centre around the train station is under way, while Devonshire Street is currently closed for over £2 million of work to rejuvenate both it and adjoining English Street with more outdoor seating, street furniture, benches, cycle parking, trees and plants.
This is in addition to work to develop a new University of Cumbria campus in the Citadel buildings, a £78million project which is tipped to be completed by 2026.
At the same time, museum and gallery Tullie House will reopen this autumn following a major renovation project to create a new gallery, entrance and shopping area on its ground floor.
A new construction education academy has even been unveiled in the city, growing a college’s capacity for students learning a trade.
Carlisle College’s new unit will see spaces dedicated to plastering, bricklaying, and other construction-related skills for which it offers apprenticeships.
It will offer higher quality training, and programmes like T-level and higher technical qualifications, and provide more spaces for people to learn construction.
Over £1.5million was invested in the project which took 12 months to complete.
At the official opening which coincided with the college’s 70th anniversary, principal of Carlisle College, Sarah McGrath, said: “This academy really will help us to support the local construction industry even better and help us to realise the goals of the Local Skills Improvement Plan for Cumbria.”