Villagers wanting to reopen their only shop have overcome their latest hurdle and been given the go-ahead for the changes they want to make.

Campaigners have been working for more than a year to ensure Hallbankgate’s shop is not lost and now Carlisle City Council has approved plans for a change of use of the former Co-op building and for it to reopen with an additional café and resources area.

John Foster, Hallbankgate Hub’s chairman, said: “We are very pleased our planning application has been approved. It means we can now go full steam ahead with the refurbishment works.”

The group was initially advised the extent of the changes wouldn’t require planning permission, but later that advice changed.

This was not factored in to the proposed timescale and, added to problems uncovered as they’ve stripped out the building, it has delayed the original proposed opening date – June 1, a year to the date since the shop closed in 2015 – by about three months.

Mr Foster said: “We found that more needs doing to the floor than we thought. 

"Some of the joists were not in a very good condition and since this is a once-in-a-lifetime refurbishment, we’re not going to be taking up the floor again.

“We’re going to have to stand that cost.”

They now aim to be open by September 1 and arrangements have been made for an outreach post office to be available from that date.

A progress meeting is due to be held on May 21, in Hallbankgate Village Hall.

Shareholders are invited between 11am and 1pm before the meeting is open to everyone from 1pm until 3pm.

It is a chance for people to see the plans and for shareholders to see what is being done with their investment.