Plans to turn the former Brocklebanks site in Dalton town centre into a new pocket park have been approved, but the £570,000 project is not yet fully secured. Funding arrangements, legal ownership and further public engagement must be completed before construction can begin.
Construction is scheduled for autumn 2027, with the completed park expected in early 2028. The proposed green space is intended to provide a setting for everyday activities, community events and other gatherings, creating a new central public space as part of the wider Dalton High Street Enhancements project.
Funding and ownership decisions remain
Approval from the Borderlands Board remains subject to a grant funding agreement. Dalton Town Council must also pass formal resolutions before taking long-term ownership of the land and responsibility for maintaining the finished park.
Westmorland and Furness Council and Dalton Town Council are leading the scheme with support from the Dalton Town Team. The land is intended to be purchased by the town council on a freehold basis.
The pocket park is included in both the Dalton Place Plan and the Borderlands Town Investment Plan. These plans were developed with contributions from local businesses, residents and community representatives.
Residents asked to help shape the design
Workshops, surveys and drop-in events have already gathered views from community groups, schools and third-sector organisations. The engagement identified the loss of previous play facilities and demand for more green and social space in the town centre.
Layer Studio Architects has been appointed to prepare the initial concept designs. According to the supplied announcement, the architects will hold an in-person engagement session outside Greggs on Tuesday 18 September, from 12.30pm to 2.15pm. A second session is scheduled at Dalton Leisure Centre from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
People unable to attend 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 begin.
First Dalton Borderlands project to receive approval
The pocket park is the first Dalton scheme approved under the Borderlands Place Programme. Dalton’s 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. 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.
Its priorities include improved places, infrastructure, green growth, innovation, business and skills. For Dalton, the immediate aim is to create a central public space on the former Brocklebanks site, subject to the remaining funding, legal and consultation steps.