How forgotten corner of town could be transformed

New images have revealed how a forgotten corner of a coastal town could be transformed as part of a £150m regeneration project.

A planning application has been submitted to Great Yarmouth Borough Council for the North Quay revamp, called Quayside.

Developers want to demolish derelict buildings and turn the area into a leisure destination, with a retail outlet, a 120-room hotel, restaurants, IMAX cinema and more.

If completed, it could create hundreds of jobs and is estimated to attract an additional two million visitors to the seaside destination, Rioja Estates, the firm behind the scheme, said.

Giles Membrey, managing director, said: "We know that when you introduce a high quality, value led destination, which is what an outlet is, and combine it with strong leisure, overall footfall rises, dwell time increases and the wider town centre benefits."

The scheme is being created in conjunction with Willmott Dixon Developments and Great Yarmouth Borough Council.

The project was estimated to cost £100m, but this has now increased by £50m.

It is being privately funded, but part of a £20m pot of cash from the government's Levelling Up Fund has being used by Great Yarmouth Borough Council to secure land for the development.

Analysis conducted for the project estimates more than £634m could be generated for the town's economy in the first decade.

The North Quay area is a key gateway into Great Yarmouth, but parts of the industrial area have become derelict.

The project could transform the area, creating an open-air "outlet village", a food quarter and entertainment quarter.

In addition, 60 homes would also be built.

Changes were made to the initial proposals after members of the public worried the siting of some buildings, including the cinema complex and hotel, would obstruct views of the Minster and riverside area.

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Carl Smith, Conservative leader of the council, has called the scheme a "gamechanger" for the town and hopes further investment will follow if it goes ahead.

Trevor Wainwright, leader of the Labour opposition group, added: "'The detailed work that has gone into this planning application means our ambitious vision for Great Yarmouth's neglected North Quay can now be realised."

The full planning application can be viewed on Great Yarmouth Borough Council's website.

The project has already gained support from Nathan Race, chairman of Visit Great Yarmouth.

In a letter to the council, he said: "This has the potential to deliver lasting economic, community and visitor economy benefits."

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