Go-ahead for £40m Cumbria hospital scheme

Plans by West Cumbria Mining to develop a coal mine at a 689-acre site on the St Bees coast near Whitehaven have moved forward after the secretary of state declined to intervene in the local council’s approval.

Government backing of £20m through the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal has been confirmed, enabling work to move forward on the improvement of the railway station and its approaches.

Main contractor Wates Construction has started work on site to deliver the £21.5m leisure and community hub in Carlisle.

Specialist property finance company PMJ Capital has agreed to fully fund the £1.35m build cost of the third and final phase of the Low Wood scheme in Casterton.

Barrow Council, Lancaster City Council and South Lakeland District Council would be replaced with a single-tier unitary authority, under the plans revealed in October.

Housebuilder Story Homes is seeking full consent for a residential project it has extended by 10 homes to 125. 

Developer and investor Strawsons Property is bringing forward plans for Harker View 44, a commercial and industrial park on 110 acres off Junction 44 near Carlisle. 

Carlisle Lake District Airport is to receive a Government grant of up to £8m, a sum that would effectively wipe out its business rates bill for 2020-21.

The roads authority has issued an update as it seeks to finalise land deals and route options ahead of the next round of consultation on the Northern Trans-Pennine project.