New exhibition to showcase work of shortlisted Iron Line design teams

PEOPLE across Millom and Haverigg are being urged to view an exhibition that marks the next exciting stage of a global competition to find a design partner for the area’s Iron Line project.

Working alongside Copeland Borough Council, the Millom Town Deal Board secured an offer of £20.6 million from the Government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund initiative in July for projects it identified as local priorities.

Last month, five landscape and architectural design teams were shortlisted from the first stage of the competition for The Iron Line – a scheme that will see the uniquely beautiful sea wall and coastal lagoon sensitively transformed into an inspirational and fully inclusive, nationally significant route across RSPB Hodbarrow.

Now, further submissions from these teams will be on show in a four-day exhibition taking place from Saturday, November 27 to Tuesday, November 30 at Haverigg Lighthouse Centre as well as online via the Millom Town Deal Facebook page.

People will be able to leave feedback on each of the submissions which will be included in information considered by the Jury Panel when a final selection is made.

It is expected that the winning design team will be announced in early January 2022 when outline proposals specific to The Iron Line project will begin to be developed.

Robert Morris-Eyton, the chair of Millom Town Deal board, said: “The first stage of the competition attracted 21 submissions of a very high standard from teams based both internationally and across the UK.

“We were delighted that members of the community took the time to provide excellent feedback which fed into the shortlisting process for stage two.

“Now, we want to invite people to visit this second exhibition at The Lighthouse Centre to leave their thoughts and comments or alternatively to do so online.

“This is a great opportunity to engage in this exciting Town Deal project which has the potential to secure a wide array of benefits for the area for many years to come.”

Millom and Haverigg were among 101 towns invited to bid for a share of the Towns Fund in 2019 – part of the Government’s Levelling Up agenda.

In addition to The Iron Line, three further projects are included in the successful Town Investment Plan; Reactivating Heritage Buildings, Connected Millom and Haverigg and Activating Community Health which will incorporate a community swimming pool.

Each aims to help maximise inclusive economic growth and better connectivity for the area while developing a welcoming arts, culture and tourism offer, thriving independent businesses and healthy, active people.

The Iron Line competition has been overseen by Colander Associates Ltd, a firm brought in to seek the interest of design and architectural firms both in the UK and internationally on behalf of Millom Town Deal Board and Copeland Borough Council.

In addition, a competition for both primary and secondary school children in the area has been launched – with young people invited to design a logo for the Iron Line that captures the spirit of the project through references to its special ecology, heritage and distinctiveness.

The deadline for partaking schools to confirm their shortlisted entries is Tuesday, November 30.

For more information on the Millom Town Deal Board, visit Towns Fund | Copeland Borough Council