Work to relocate HM Coroner’s service for Cumbria from its current base in Cockermouth to modern and fit-for-purpose facilities in Workington is due to start next week.
The Coroner’s Court and HM Coroner’s Service offices are currently located in Cockermouth, within accommodation in Station Road. However, later this year the service will relocate to dedicated and standalone accommodation within Allerdale House in Workington, a building owned and operated by Cumberland Council.
The move is required as the current accommodation and building no longer meet the needs of the service or those of service users for a number of reasons, including:
- the court room layout, facilities, and the size and capacity of the court, and the inability to host larger inquests including those that require a jury
- the security of the court and premises as a whole mean poor safety and welfare provision for HM Coroner and the support team
- accessibility issues, such transport networks and parking
- the issues arising from occupying an ageing building that is beyond its reasonable lifespan
Therefore, the Cockermouth site now no longer offers suitable and appropriate facilities for those attending inquests, or visiting the building, including the provision for families and friends of the deceased, professionals such clinicians and police, or the press and public attending court hearings.
HM Coroners are independent judicial officers (judges) and members of the judiciary, who investigate and, where required, hold an inquest into deaths where there is reason to suspect that the death was due to violent or unnatural reasons, the cause is unknown, or where a death occurs whilst a person was in custody, or state detention.
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 family/meeting rooms, a waiting area and reception. There will also be modern and appropriate offices and welfare facilities for HM Coroner and the support team, created across the ground and first floors. The accommodation will also benefit from new service-specific audio visual and ICT systems, all of which will help bring the site up to the standards comparable with other courts in the country and befitting of a branch of the judiciary.
The programme of works planned will see significant internal alterations and refurbishment to the Borough Park side of the building, creating standalone accommodation, which whilst part of Allerdale House, will have its own dedicated entrance and facilities, and have judicial branding and signage.
Cllr Anne Quilter, Executive member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, said: “HM Coroner’s Service for Cumbria is an extremely important service to the community, which is vital for many people from across the county and beyond.
“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.”
The construction, which is being carried out by local firm Thomas Armstrong Ltd, is due to start on Monday 30 June with completion scheduled for November this year. The project will see an investment of £2 million, and this will cover the refurbishment works and internal decoration, furniture, etc, plus new court-specific ICT/audio visual equipment.
Architects and engineers at Align Property Partners have been heavily involved in the building’s design.
Principal architectural technologist at Align, Malcolm Jennings, said: “We are very proud to be involved in this project, and it is a hugely exciting time with construction due to begin. It has been a real team effort to get to this point and we are looking forward to seeing our vision for the building come to life.”
Whilst there will be some disruption in the area surrounding Allerdale House, including the temporary reduction of car parking spaces, the access to the main reception area and customer service centre for Cumberland Council will be maintained throughout the works.
In the meantime, the coroner’s service will continue to operate from the existing site with inquests continuing to be held there, or at other venues across the county, depending on the nature of the inquest.