Our aim for Maryport was to consider first and foremost the local community. Kim Corrall, Buttress
Maryport is a coastal town in north west Cumbria sitting just outside, and to the west, of the Lake District National Park. Buttress have worked alongside Cumberland Council and Allerdale Borough Council to create and drive forward a vision for the town's future with a strategic plan and series of projects funded by the Future High Streets (FHS) and High Street Action Zone (HSHAZ) schemes.
Through the masterplan's first projects, our strategy has been to drive growth, improve experience and ensure sustainability.
Understanding the place, and its inherent liveability, drove the vision and key themes for the masterplan with the FHSF proposal concentrating on Maryport's high street and its connectivity to the wider town.
Maryport projects
Additional Maryport projects
Proposals include a series of projects that together renew and reshape the town's offer and improve its day and night-time experience. The projects are interconnected and were created together, each a piece of a large piece with the community at their heart.
The Promenade
As part of the new Maryport Activity Centre plans, proposals for the promenade include the demolition of disused buildings making way for a beach-side shop and cafe with outside seating and street art. The promenade is designed to encourage people to be active and enjoy the sea air, by walking or running with several key organised runs already in Maryport's event calendar.
Shipping Brow Gallery
The harbourside Shipping Brow Gallery denotes the start of Sennhouse Street. The former museum has been restored and converted to house a ground floor gallery and first floor apartment for an artist in residence.
High Street Heritage Action Zone - Shopfronts
Funded by the HSHAZ programme, Buttress' Heritage Consultants created a shopfront design guide for Maryport. The guide encourages good practice in the design of new, and the improvement of existing, frontages that are in keeping with the character, scale and appearance of Maryport's historic townscape.
with Maryport for Maryport
Community is at the heart of both Buttress and Maryport. We wanted to deliver designs that people wanted to see and engage with, as well as giving the town a unique offer to bring visitors in. As part of the community focus and engagement, we hosted over 20 consultations in the town, ranging from the local pub to libraries and schools. We also hosted workshops with primary and secondary school age children, getting them involved in the idea generation and design stage of the project.
As projects have developed we have stayed connected to the community delivering workshops as part of the town work experience scheme and helping children develop their own vision for the Carlton as a new leisure destination for the local area.
Chithra Marsh
Chithra is a director at Buttress with more than 30 years of experience in commercial practice in both the public and private sectors.
Kimberley Corrall
Kimberley is an associate at Buttress who works within the practice's heritage team, specialising in projects that have a strong community emphasis.
Lucy Brackenbury
Lucy is an enthusiastic and creative architect who specialises in projects that have a strong community emphasis.