Carlisle's The Pools to be demolished to make way for £27m revamp

A former swimming pool built in the 1970s is set to be demolished to make way for a £27m city revamp.

Contractors are due to move in on Monday to begin work knocking down the The Pools in James Street and the former empty Staples unit in Carlisle.

The work is the latest phase in the Carlisle Station Gateway project.

Cumberland Council said disruption would be kept to a minimum and James Street, Water Street, and George Street would remain open.

The work will include the partial pedestrianisation of Court Square while aiming to improve walking connections to and from the station.

It will also include building a new, southern entrance to the station as well as new car parking spaces and a public plaza.

Leader of the council, councillor Mark Fryer, said: "The revitalisation of public spaces in the city centre will offer an inviting environment, becoming a place where people choose to spend their time and contributing to an enhanced gateway to the city."

The project, which is part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, is being partly funded by central government, Cumberland Council and Network Rail.

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