Penrith’s £7m boost to give town hall new life
Levelling Up Fund money will be put to work making the former civic building a community hub, with an enterprise centre lined up for the nearby former Barclays bank.
Westmorland & Furness Council said that Penrith’s cultural, community and business sectors will get a “seismic” boost following confirmation of funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.
The £7.09m project encompasses two major initiatives: an enterprise hub at 2-3 Market Square, and a creative and community hub in Penrith Town Hall.
Recent progress towards setting up an enterprise hub has not been linear. In July 2022, Eden District Council submitted a LUF round 2 bid for an enterprise hub at Junction 41 of the M6 – rejected at first, the bid was approved in November 2023.
However, the site was then sold to Maple Grove Developments, which is advancing the site as Penrith 41, an industrial development.
Pivoting to the town centre, W&FC became aware in April 2024 that Barclays Bank was vacating 2-3 Market Square. Following due diligence, the local authority presented a plan to MHCLG for this site to be its central hub, in a £4.09m scheme.
The hope is that the site will be operational from April 2027.
With £3m LUF cash still to allocate, government requested the council find another project, leading to the town hall being put forward as an additional project – the Inspiring Eden Creative and Community Hub.
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Cllr Jonathan Brook, council leader and Cabinet Member for Economy, said: “Enterprise, entrepreneurship, community and creativity will combine in Inspiring Eden, to bring wide-ranging and long-lasting benefits to Penrith, Eden and beyond.
“The journey towards getting to this point has been a long one, and the vision has evolved along that journey. The addition of the Creative and Community Hub along with the Enterprise Hub is tremendously exciting. These two projects will help transform heritage and historic spaces, create jobs, spark opportunities, nurture ideas, and support cultural economic life to thrive for generations to come.”
The council said that plans for the grade two-listed town hall will reimagine the space and celebrate the town’s heritage, with a consultation inviting input on options for future use – although the broad ambition is for an “incubator for talent” and civic resource. W&FC wants to have firmer ideas in place by year-end.
Cllr Virginia Taylor, cabinet member for planning, culture and community wellbeing, said: “Penrith Town Hall is an important landmark and resource we are committed to securing a future supporting the town. For that future to be significant and relevant then it must be informed by the community and local partners.”
The building is under-used at present, after council staff were moved out of the building last year following reorganisation of local authorities.
Adapting a former NHS office in an energy-efficient retrofit, Voreda House was opened as the council’s “customer-facing” premises in June.
Cllr Taylor continued: “One of our ambitions is to ensure that the council uses its assets in the most appropriate and beneficial way. Penrith Town Hall is a key venue highlighted in this plan and creating a sustainable and worthwhile future for it will align with our priorities for climate, communities and customers, as well as our principles of customer focus and effective services.”
Aspriations for an enterprise hub go back to 2019, with a collaboration between Eden District Council, Cumbria LEP, Penrith Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Lancaster University and University of Cumbria set up to look at business ecosystems.
That work was led by senior lecturer at Lancaster, Dr Chris Ford, who made the case for a business and innovation hub in the heart of town.
Dr Ford said: “The town centre really needed a place with office space, meeting space, but also a business support and innovation service that fits our town and our needs. It has to be a powerful, visible presence that makes a bold statement about what is possible right here in Penrith.”
