County's coroner service moving to new home
BBCA county's coroner facilities are moving to a new home, as its current building is no longer fit for purpose.
Cumbria's current court and offices in Cockermouth were being relocated over lack of space and the building's age, Cumberland Council said.
Construction work on dedicated, stand-alone accommodation in Allerdale House, Workington, will begin on Monday.
The £2m project is due to be finished in November, and until then inquests will continue to be held in Cockermouth.
Coroners investigate and, where needed, hold an inquest into deaths suspected to be due to violent or unnatural reasons, where the cause is unknown, or where it happens while a person is in prison.
In 2024 there were 1,570 deaths reported to the coroner in Cumbria, with 450 inquests held.
The project to repurpose part of Allerdale House will see the creation of a large main court room with jury facilities, a secondary court, three meeting rooms, a waiting area and reception.
There will also be offices and welfare facilities for the coroner and support team, created across the ground and first floors.
Councillor Anne Quilter said: "Due to the highly sensitive nature of the work of HM Coroner and inquests, it is crucial that these take place in appropriate facilities that meet the needs not only of HM Coroners and their staff, but importantly, the families, next of kin and friends of a deceased person, and the professionals supporting these processes.
"Therefore, I'm delighted that we'll soon have new, fit-for-purpose facilities within in Cumbria that we can be truly proud of."