Penrith's vision for the future has been officially approved, showing how the area will grow in the next 32 years.

Three new villages on the edge of the town and the creation of 73 hectares of employment land, close to junction 41 are on the cards.

Other proposals include:

  • A plan to attract better paid jobs to Penrith and Eden
  • Ensuring the 5,560 new homes include affordable housing
  • A mix of housing to provide family homes alongside smaller properties for people retiring or living alone
  • A plan to safeguard the future of the Beacon and increase access to its summit

Eden councillors rubber stamped the Penrith Strategic Masterplan at a meeting this week.

Councillors also agreed to start an eight-week public engagement process, which will start on Monday.

One element of the proposals are measures to protect Penrith’s historic Beacon from developers and to improve public access to the views from its iconic pike.

Some mixed use low-density development could be allowed at the back of Beacon Fell on commercial forestry land.

Kevin Beaty, leader of Eden District Council, said: “I welcome the debate the proposals in the masterplan are already stimulating.

“I understand some people are initially concerned about the ideas for the Beacon, but this is just one element of the document.

“We agree that the Beacon needs protecting from inappropriate development, which is a major risk if we don’t have a clear plan for how Penrith grows.

“We also want more people to benefit from community green spaces, this is why we are asking people to come forward with their ideas to improve access to the Beacon.

“We don’t want the future development of Eden district to be the identikit developer estates you see elsewhere.

“The spatial design of the new villages we are proposing have the character of and feel of Eden District’s existing towns and villages at their heart.

“The masterplan contains bold proposals for growth, which seek to address the major issues the area faces now such as a shrinking working age population, without it the district risks stagnating and the opportunities on the horizon to stimulate economic growth such as the dualling of the A66 may go elsewhere such as Carlisle or the west coast of Cumbria.”

The masterplan is no longer fully reliant on a Northern Relief Road for Penrith, that has previously been included in draft versions of the plan.

The proposals are more reliant on upgrades to Kemplay roundabout and junction 40 of the M6.

The masterplan also includes detailed plans for transport, eco-homes and Penrith’s existing town centre.

Councillor John Owen, who is responsible for development, said: “We are listening to the concerns of businesses and residents about how Eden grows in the future.

“We are hearing from businesses that they are struggling to recruit staff locally and that we need a larger pool of highly skilled workers if we are to retain businesses in the local area.

“We also need a better mix of housing to meet existing and future needs. The issues about affordability in Eden are already well documented, but equally pressing are the demands of our ageing population and an increasing number of single person households.

“The Penrith Masterplan provides solutions for these important issues.”

Eden residents will have the chance to find out more about the masterplan at a series of events which begin with a pop-up shop opening at at 3, Middlegate in Penrith on Monday.

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The pop-up shop will be open:

  • Monday, September 10 – 10am to 4pm and 6pm to 8pm
  • Wednesday, September 12 – 10am to 4pm and 6pm to 8pm
  • Thursday, September 13 – 10am to 3pm
  • Saturday, September 15 – 10am to 2pm
  • Tuesday, September 18 – 10am to 4pm
  • Thursday, September 20 – 10am to 4pm
  • Monday, September 24 – 10am to 4pm
  • Wednesday, September 26 – 10am to 4pm
  • Friday, September 28 – 10am to 4pm
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A series of events are also being planned across Eden district over the next two months.

Events scheduled so far are:

  • Penrith’s Farmers Market – Tuesday, September 18 10am to 2pm
  • Langwathby Station Café – Thursday October 4 2pm to 6pm
  • Lazonby Co-op Friday October 5 – 10am to 4pm
  • Great Salkeld Village Hall Café Crack – Tuesday October 9 10.30am to noon Newbiggin (Stainton) Community Café – Wednesday October 17 2pm to 4pm
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Details of more dates and venues will be available at www.beaconvillages.co.uk