TWO drop-in sessions were held to give residents of Millom and Haverigg the chance to learn more about their £29.3m Town Deal.

The well-attended events – held at the Haverigg Lighthouse Centre and Millom Baptist Church – were hosted by Cumberland Council and the Millom Town Deal Board.

Members of the public were able to ask questions about each of the four Town Deal projects and were also invited to complete a survey to share their views.

David Savage, Chair of the Millom Town Deal Board, said: “It was fantastic to see both meetings so well attended. We are about to witness the transformation of a forgotten town into something quite extraordinary for Millom and Haverigg, and I was pleased to see so many people turn up with an appetite to learn more.

“Steady progress is being made with the projects and I encourage all residents, business owners and people connected to Millom to keep an eye on our Town Deal website and social media platforms for future updates

“We are actively listening to feedback and have launched a digital survey which is open for the next two weeks. I would encourage as many people as possible to read the various project pages on our website and have their say.”

Working with Copeland Borough Council, the Millom Town Deal Board was awarded £20.6 million from the Government’s Towns Fund in November 2022, attracting an additional £8.7 million in match funding.

Now, alongside the newly formed Cumberland Council, work is underway to ready each of the projects for development and completion before March 2026.

The projects were selected to meet both local need and strict Government criteria.

Each one was subject to an expert business case to prove it is deliverable within the funding available, will provide long lasting economic and social benefits to the area and will be financially sustainable going forward.

The four projects that make up Millom’s Town Deal are:

The Iron Line – a scheme to sensitively transform RSPB Hodbarrow into an inspirational and fully inclusive visitor attraction featuring new walking and cycling routes, a visitor centre with cafe/bar, events room and parking for around 80 vehicles.

Activating Community Health – The creation of a new, multi-purpose leisure hub on land at Millom School to provide a range of facilities including a community swimming pool and 3G pitch.

Reactivating Heritage Buildings – A project to significantly enhance Millom Town Centre to increase vitality and footfall by bringing derelict, vacant and under

Connected Millom and Haverigg – Improving Millom’s transport network to create a gateway to the town at the railway station, while improving ways to move around both Millom and Haverigg on foot or by bicycle.

You can complete the survey by clicking here