New homes plan at depot is put back

Last updated 19:27, Thursday, 20 November 2008

DEMOLITION of Cockermouth’s Market Place council depot to make way for a new housing development has been put back until after the New Year.

Work on the demolition was planned to start on Monday, but plans have been delayed after traders in Market Place argued that they would lose Christmas trade as a consequence.

They said at a meeting that they had already lost customers as a result of work improving Market Place earlier in the year,

Social landlord Impact Housing has secured planning permission for the construction of eight houses to rent, and work on the demolition of the depot will now start on January 5.

While demolition is going on, some car parking spaces at Bitter Beck car park will be lost for nine months.

A spokesman for Allerdale council said: “In a bid to minimise disruption to businesses and residents, Allerdale council has reached an agreement with Impact Housing, which takes possession of the site on Monday, so that parking bays will not be temporarily cordoned off until at least early January 2009.”

The scheme will include eight two-bedroom rental homes. The terraced homes will be decorated with stone and rendered walls, with second-hand local green slate tiling the roofs.