WORRIES are mounting over the delivery of the Maryport Town Deal project - after plans have had to be downsized due to rising building costs and lack of funds.

At an overview and scrutiny committee meeting last Friday, July 22, councillors raised concerns after a report produced by officers highlighted updates on the town deal.

Concerns were raised by the councillors over the downsizing of the Empire Yard project that was part of the deal.

These plans would originally have seen a flexible 'covered space' which could be adapted to house a market, community cinema screenings or small music events. It is surrounded by a number of commercial units of various sizes, including cafes and restaurants.

However, the project has now had to be 'scaled down' due to problems around different ownerships in the building; the project will now hope to secure the middle part of the building to have an indoor market and possible space for parking.

Other concerns were raised around the Carleton cinema project, which would see the town's former cinema converted into an 150-seat flexible performance space - as well as small private rentable workshops or offices.

Councillor Iain Greaney said: "What concerns me - and it's concerned me for about two years now - is that the flexible entertainment space is basically what is in the Wave now, and we know that doesn't work... so we are basically taking a white elephant from the Wave and putting it into the Carleton.

"It's got a capacity of about 120 and that isn't financially viable... because of the limited capacity.

"When I've discussed it with members of the regenration board there was mention of any possible influence on the Carnegie and also the Kirkgate Centre. I think what really concerns me is that we are actually driving a design through based on the impact on other areas, rather than what's actually right for Maryport.

"We need a venue that is probably a replacement for the Civic Hall and I think we need somewhere that can take 250-300 people.

"When I talk to people in Maryport they are really concerned about this as well."

The officer said that this issue has been looked into and the feeling is that the location of the Carleton on Senhouse Street would be more popular, and that the venue wasn't meant to be in competition with venues such as the Carnegie.

'Challenges to swimming pool plans'

The plan for the new swimming pool at the Wave Centre has also had to be scaled back due to 'development costs' and projected costs of heating the new pool in the future.

The pool will now possibly be reduced in size by two lanes, from six to four, due to 'challenges' in the budget.

Cllr Carni Mccarron-Holmes said that this 'really concerns' her, due to people in Maryport 'losing out' on the bigger size - after being consulted on a six-lane plan.

She said: "We got all of the buy-in on the original lines and now we look as if we are a bit foolish because it's less than what we went out and asked people to come to, that's depressing."

Labour councillor Sally Lansbury agreed. She said: "You seen with the creation of Keswick pool and the subsequent closure, because it was something that the people of Keswick didn't use because it wasn't the right specification.

"And now the spec is being reduced to the point where it's potentially not going to be as useful as hoped for schools, sports clubs and users, so therefore it could become a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy of not enough people using it because you've reduced the specification to a point where people potentially aren't going to use it because it's not right."

A council officer said: "We have been looking into whether there can be other funding sources at this point, more to try and keep things as is rather than try to enhance them, because costs have just gone up that much since the bid went up a couple of years ago, the costs have just went through the ceiling.

"Unfortunately, the government have indicated that it is unlikely that they will extend the timescale and they have said that there is no more money and it's become quite hard to find any alternative funding sources."

'We need to go into this with our eyes open'

Talking about the plans, chair of the overview and scrutinee committee Mike Heaslip said: "It looks like we have significantly more risk associated with the Maryport programme than the Workington programme.

"Big risk about Empire Yard, there is the risk around construction costs, and then there is a risk about revenue, because I get the impression that all of the revenue risks in Maryport will be borne not by this council but by Cumberland Council, because I understand all of these things are going to be in council ownership.

"That is not in any way to suggest that we shouldn't do these things but we need to be aware that they are creating potential demands on Cumberland Council's revenue budget.

"Obviously we need to just be aware of that and go into this with eyes open."

READ MORE: Concerns raised for town's regeneration amid rise in cost of materials