The Penrith Partnership
• is a Company Limited by Guarantee with charitable objectives.
• aims to promote urban and rural regeneration in Penrith and its surrounding area.

The Penrith Partnership was formed in 1996 to act as an umbrella organisation for Penrith.

It took forward the Penrith Market Town Initiative (MTI) which was a community-led regeneration scheme for Penrith and the rural area it serves. This was funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Cumbria County Council and Eden District Council.

The outcome was a comprehensive Master Plan for Penrith which provided a robust and flexible blueprint for the future development of the town. Various elements of the plan have been used, but it was never fully implemented. However, whilst requiring updating, it is still highly relevant, as is the summary in the introduction to the Plan. A full colour copy of the master plan is available in Penrith library.

The opportunities afforded by Government initiatives designed to empower the local community e.g.the Big Society initiative and Neighbourhood Plans, combined with changes within the Council and the local population, offer an ideal opportunity to engage and energise the whole community with a view to updating the Master Plan and implementing its findings.

The recently announced Portas initiative gives us a real opportunity to build on other initiatives that are currently being taken forward within the town. The Business Improvement District bid, the Greening of Penrith including the development of a community garden, and community litter picks designed to clean up the town and its surrounding areas are examples of local engagement.