Master plan for Whitehaven

The plan covers an area south of Whitehaven harbour

The first draft of plans for the future of the Pow Beck Valley and coastal areas of Whitehaven is being put to councillors on Tuesday.

The master plan was commissioned in January and could cost up to £20m.

It follows on from the millions invested in the town's harbour and the North Shore area.

The plans include ideas to improve the housing estates of Kells, Woodhouse, and Greenbank with better access and community facilities.

'Three elements'

There are also ideas to improve tourism, such as a railway linking the South Harbour and the cliff top and further development of the Haig Colliery Mining Museum.

Copeland council head of development, Bern Hellier, said: "There are three elements to the masterplan.

"It covers the coastal strips out of Whitehaven south of the harbour, the Pow Beck Valley - which is an extension of the town centre running south.

"It also covers an area of housing land on some steep slopes above the valley."

Brownfield sites

He said there were specific proposals for each of the three areas, with the final bill being somewhere between £15m and £20m.

Mr Hellier said: "On the coastal fringe we are trying to encourage access, linking the existing mining museum to the facilities at the harbour.

"Along Pow Beck Valley we are opening up a lot of brownfield sites and improving road access to that part of town."

Money for the improvements will come from Copeland Council, Cumbria County Council, and the North West Development Agency.