Carlisle YMCA in second bid for revamp

Last updated 12:27, Friday, 14 November 2008

Proposals to make the YMCA in Fisher Street, Carlisle, into a support centre for homeless youngsters are expected to get planning consent.

Rejected: The original plan for the new YMCA Foyer in Carlisle

The ‘Foyer’ project suffered a double setback in April when the Government turned down a £1m funding bid and the city council refused planning permission.

Now the YMCA has drawn up fresh plans to answer councillors’ criticisms that the original scheme was “unsympathetic”. It hopes that, once planning consent is granted, its bid for funds will succeed.

Planning officers are recommending that the city council’s development control committee approves the new plans when it meets today. Their report says: “The proposal is a contemporary solution... that is considered to represent a considerable improvement on the existing structure.

“It is appreciated that concerns will exist over the scale and massing of the new build but, in overall terms, it is considered that the advantages of this revised scheme outweigh the disadvantages and the proposal is recommended for approval.”

The scheme would create nine bedsits and three shared flats for homeless youngsters. There would also be a multi-purpose hall and the existing shop, café, offices and social facilities would be refurbished.

The YMCA is a Grade II listed Georgian building at 22 Fisher Street and a 1960s building next door. The plan is to keep the Georgian frontage while the 20th-century building is rebuilt.