THIS is a first glimpse at the plans for the new building which will emerge on the site of Carlisle's former Lonsdale Cinema.

The five storey structure is set to be built beside The Halston Aparthotel on Warwick Road and linked to the existing building by a glass bridge.

These sketches also illustrate the proposals to change the former home of Lloyds Pharmacy, also on Warwick Road.

They were prepared by Carlisle firm Black Box Architects, based on Devonshire Street, in the city centre.

Director Malcolm Wilson now wants to enter the building into the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) regional excellence awards for the north west once construction is complete.

He said: "We have had some stuff nominated before but this would be our first commercial one."

The firm entered a contest to design the new building and submitted the winning entry.

The new building will host 19 apartments, a restaurant and a top-floor balcony.

It will be built on the site of the old Lonsdale Cinema, which closed in 2006, and this has influenced the design of the structure.

Mr Wilson said: "This one took just over a year to design and at about this time last year we were asked to look at it for a competition."

Last week it was given planning approval by Carlisle City Council and construction should begin in the first half of next year.

Mr Wilson added: "It has been a very interesting site in terms of geometrics and the relationship to what buildings surround the site.

"You have the old Post Office next door and you also have the relationship to the car park at the back."

Black Box has been going for 11 years and has worked on various schemes around Cumbria. It run by Mr Wilson and fellow director Chris Day and employs five people.

Its projects have ranged from extensions to a home on Plains Road, Wetheral, to the redevelopment of St George's Church on Warwick Road.

The new Halston building though is its biggest commission to date.

Mr Wilson said: "We have done some good housing schemes but this is the best of the lot. To have won it was a great thing."

The company is also working on designs for the Central Plaza Hotel on Victoria Viaduct, in the city centre, and to convert a Devonshire Street building, recently bought by Halston owner Simon Harrison, into studio flats.