By Emily Parsons

Published at 11:24, Tuesday, 10 April 2012

New plans have been submitted for a major Carlisle business development.

St Nicholas Gate

Councillors had previously controversially approved plans to include a new 46,300sq ft food store as part of the redevelopment of the St Nicholas Gate retail park.

Planning officers had recommended the application should be refused, on the grounds that a new store in London Road would harm the chances of getting a supermarket in Morton.

But councillors on the development control committee dismissed that argument.

The latest plans to go before the council, centre around improved pedestrian, cycle and car access to the site, as part of a section 278 agreement between the developer and Cumbria County Council.

A spokesman for Savills, which has submitted the plans, explained: “The new applications are essentially an overall package of junction improvements.

“It now includes cycle ways right up to the junction, which previously there were not, and the separating of sorts of the car lanes to make it more straightforward to get into the retail park.

“The size and locations of the units have not changed, except for number 10 – a small retail kiosk – which has been reduced in size slightly to accommodate the improved junctions.”

No date has yet been set for the plans to go before Carlisle City Council for final approval.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk