Grit & Pearl were appointed Strategic Design Directors by West Lakes Renaissance in December 2008. We are working with regeneration managers, developers, local architects, housing specialists, artists, cultural workers and planners on projects including public realm improvements to Whitehaven, Workington and Maryport town centres under the Whitehaven Regeneration and Britain’s Energy Coast masterplans; Marina Village in Barrow; and the multi-million pound Housing Market Renewal programme. We are encouraging the use of creative community engagement and are working towards commissioning new public artworks.

One of these commissions is a new community garden that is proposed for a vacant gap site on one of the main streets within Workington town centre as part of the Housing Market Renewal programme. A steel and mesh cage will be built to mimic the shape of the adjacent primary school. Shrubs and climbers will then grow within the cage to create a green building and provide presence to the main street frontage. Within the structure will be a secure community garden that will contain planters, small orchard, outdoor classroom, sheds and greenhouse that will be managed by Age Concern in partnership with the local primary school.