New hotel to be built at city centre site
Cumberland CouncilA new hotel is set to be built on the site of a former city centre inn that was knocked down after it became structurally unsafe.
The Central Plaza in Carlisle was demolished by the former city council in 2020 due to fears it could collapse.
Whitbread, the owners of the Premier Inn chain, has acquired the land from Cumberland Council to build a hotel, although plans will need to be approved.
Council leader Mark Fryer said this was an "important step forward for the regeneration for Carlisle city centre".
Whitbread said it intended to submit a planning application for the new hotel this summer with a view to opening by the end of 2028.
The site had been subject to escheat by The Crown Estate, meaning the owners died without a legal heir.
Cumberland Council had been in talks to acquire the site and undertake some work to enable future development, such as repairing the gable wall of the Green Room Theatre, located on West Walls.