Published: Tuesday, 17th September 2024
The latest proposals for improvements to a key gateway into King’s Lynn have been revealed.
The proposals, informed by stakeholder input, seek to fully utilise the potential of this significant area in the town, focusing on the historic South Gate.
With a focus on creating an attractive and active gateway that supports safer and greener movement and improved connections, better public space, and new mixed-use development, the Southgates Masterplan reflects the rich history of the area whilst looking to the future.
Now, new designs for the public realm and green space have been revealed which show creation of new spaces around the South Gate providing opportunities for relaxation and play, and incorporating references to the area’s maritime history.
In addition, scope for possible development plots which could offer high quality new homes for the community together with commercial and retail uses and facilities have also been highlighted in the designs.
The draft proposals develop the vision and principles set by the Southgates Masterplan, which was first published in 2022, into an initial design.
The Southgates Masterplan is being led by a partnership of the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk and Norfolk County Council. The updated proposed designs were presented at the Borough Council’s Regeneration and Development Panel by multidisciplinary design practice BDP on Thursday 12 September.
Councillor Alistair Beales, Leader of the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk explained:
“The area around the South Gate provides a key entrance to the town and our ambition is to see this part of town become safer and more environmentally friendly for people moving around. We also want it to be a destination for people to enjoy.
“With the historic South Gate at its heart, the masterplan aims to reflect the impressive heritage of this area.
“It also strives to make the most of the surrounding space where we could see better use of public space, landscaping, and new development that can meet the needs of local people.
“These latest designs give us an indicator of what is possible for this important area, and how it can be enhanced to benefit both the local community, and people coming into the town.”
The masterplan is set to be a transformational regeneration scheme for the town, which would be delivered in phases in order to minimise and manage any disruption, and as funding is secured for key elements of the scheme.
To facilitate the public realm and mixed use development, the Southgates Masterplan requires road layout changes which will be delivered by the STARS (Sustainable Transport and Regeneration Scheme) project, led by Norfolk County Council. One of the first phases of the Southgates masterplan to come forward, the STARS project - which has received £24M in government funding - also focuses on improving active travel to benefit the environment and people's health by creating a revised junction layout. The project also aims to introduce measures that will benefit, pedestrians, and cyclists and enhance the setting of the historic South Gate through diversion of the road around the scheduled monument.
Councillor Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport said:
“We welcome the further development of the Southgates Masterplan and continue to work in partnership with the borough council to prepare an Outline Business Case for government on the highway improvements needed to facilitate the overall proposal”.
The next steps for the Southgates Masterplan are further development of the designs for the public realm and development plots, and engagement with stakeholders in a workshop later this year.
In addition, while undertaking the concept design and viability work, market testing will also be carried out to decide how best to deliver the scheme and funding opportunities will be explored. Recommendations for the development sites and landscaping will be provided to the council’s cabinet in 2025.
Public consultation is also set to take place in 2025.
More information - including frequently asked questions - about the Southgates Masterplan can be found here: Southgates Masterplan – Vision King's Lynn (visionkingslynn.co.uk)
More details on the STARS project, which is part of the overall masterplan, can be found here: Sustainable transport and regeneration scheme (STARS) - Norfolk County Council