A vacant town-centre site where Brocklebanks once stood is set to become a new pocket park after £570,000 of funding was agreed in principle for its purchase and construction. The proposed green space would be used for everyday activities, community events and other gatherings as part of the Dalton High Street Enhancements project.
Construction is scheduled to begin in autumn 2027, with completion expected in early 2028. However, the scheme is not yet fully secured: the Borderlands Board’s approval remains subject to a grant funding agreement, while Dalton Town Council must complete formal resolutions before taking long-term ownership and responsibility for maintaining the park.
What is planned for the former Brocklebanks site?
Westmorland and Furness Council and Dalton Town Council are leading the project with support from the Dalton Town Team. The land is intended to be purchased by the town council on a freehold basis.
The park forms part of the wider Dalton Place Plan and Borderlands Town Investment Plan. Those plans were developed with contributions from local businesses, residents and community representatives, with the aim of improving public space and creating a flexible town-centre venue for events.
Feedback from community groups, schools and third-sector organisations was gathered through workshops, surveys and drop-in events. The engagement identified the loss of previous play facilities and demand for more green and social space in central Dalton.
Public engagement and next steps
Layer Studio Architects has been appointed to prepare initial concept designs. The source announcement says the architects will hold in-person engagement on Tuesday 18 September at two locations: outside Greggs from 12.30pm to 2.15pm, followed by Dalton Leisure Centre from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
People who cannot attend in person can respond through an online survey. The announcement says the survey is open until 21 August on the Westmorland and Furness Council consultation website. Further public engagement is planned as the designs develop, before detailed design work and construction.
Part of a wider Borderlands programme
The Dalton scheme is the first of the town’s projects to receive approval under the Borderlands Place Programme. The Town Investment Plan is guiding the allocation of £3 million in programme funding.
The wider programme supports renewal and development in 22 towns across the region. Alongside Dalton, five other Cumbrian towns are involved: Egremont, Longtown, Penrith, Ulverston and Wigton.
The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal covers Cumberland, Dumfries and Galloway, Northumberland, the Scottish Borders, and Westmorland and Furness. Signed in March 2021, it is intended to bring up to £452 million of investment to the South of Scotland and North of England over 10 to 15 years, with priorities including improved places, infrastructure, green growth, innovation, business and skills.
For Dalton, the immediate objective is to turn the former Brocklebanks site into a public space for residents, visitors, businesses and community groups. The supplied material concerns Dalton rather than Kendal, so it is not a Kendal-market story.
