This pretty seaside town has bagged a £24million budget to completely transform the town centre into a cultural hub.
Redevelopment plans for Lowestoft in Suffolk were given the go-ahead by the council’s Planning Committee North last Friday.
According to the Eastern Daily Press, the Battery Green car park and surrounding land on Marina Road in Lowestoft will be transformed into a new cultural quarter.
Dubbed the Cultural Quarter Project, Lowestoft town centre will see three landmark buildings being developed on the site. One of the buildings will become a community hub for residents, with an on-site cafe, studio spaces, plant areas, restaurant and a multi-use space.
The new restaurant will cater for up to 80 people with space for pop-up bars and leisure areas.
The new plans also show a large public square complete with green spaces, as well as an upper terrace.
It’s hoped the redeveloped town centre will attract more tourists, competing with towns like Aldeburgh and Southwold. The new development is set to cost around £24.3million to build, with £14.3million in funding coming from the government’s Towns Fund.
Meanwhile, Suffolk Council’s Capital Fund will cover the remaining £10million. When the plans were approved, councillor Malcolm Pitchers said: “I can’t wait for it [the project] to start.”
Meanwhile, councillor Paul Ashdown added: “Battery Green car park has been a monstrosity in the town for a significant amount of time and to see this actually go with something else coming in its place is exciting.” The start date for construction work has now been disclosed, but plans hope to get the redevelopment underway soon.
No opening dates for the new leisure spaces have been announced. Lowestoft is famous for being the most easterly town and the first place to see the sunrise in the UK, attracting hundreds of photographers wanting to capture the moment.
Complete with a sandy beach, it can get busy in summer months as locals flock to the seaside. Described as a “favourite with families”, there’s plenty to do.
The town is complete with two piers, a wildlife park, an award-winning theme park, museums, and a busy theatre that is home to the Royal Philhamonic Orchestra.
It was once a thriving port at the centre of the fishing industry with 400 million herring landing every season at the height of the industry.