Carlisle City Council appointed LUC to carry out an integrated landscape, townscape and historic environment assessment to inform the development of St Cuthbert’s Garden Village, Carlisle.

The most northerly of 14 Garden Villages announced by the Government in 2017, St Cuthbert’s is being planned by Carlisle City Council in the area to the south of the city. The growth area is included in the current Local Plan as a site for up to 10,000 homes, employment land and a new link road.

A series of principles guide the development of these new settlements, and LUC’s work provided a foundation on which to build a place that responds to its historic background and character.

As part of the early evidence-gathering process, we worked closely with built heritage specialist Nick Haynes to undertake a strategic assessment of the landscape and townscape character of the area. We reviewed the historical development of the landscape and of the five villages set within the study area, taking note of a range of heritage assets, from buried archaeology to the setting of historic buildings. We identified the key characteristics and sensitive features of the study area, and developed high-level guidelines that will assist the Council in bringing forward a masterplan for the new settlement.