Latest News

Great Yarmouth Borough Council, working in partnership with developer Willmott Dixon and retail outlet specialist Rioja Estates, has unveiled the emerging masterplan for the regeneration of the North Quay area of Great Yarmouth.

The multi-million-pound regeneration, led by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and supported by Levelling Up funding, will transform the 10-acre riverside site into a vibrant mixed-use quarter. The scheme will reconnect the town centre with the waterfront, create new public spaces and deliver long-term benefits for residents, visitors and local businesses.

Expected to attract up to two million visitors per year, the scheme will also provide a welcome boost to tourism and local businesses. It is expected to create up to 500 jobs during the construction phase, up to 600 permanent positions in retail, leisure and hospitality in the development itself, and up to 400 further jobs in the surrounding area once open.

At the heart of the regeneration are a major Leisure Box anchor with an Imax-ready multi-screen cinema and conferencing facility, a retail outlet centre with approximately 70 premium and high street brand stores, a 100-120 room hotel, housing, cafes, restaurants, flexible workspaces, community facilities and parking for up to 900 cars. The development also includes green riverside walks, play areas, new public squares and a cycle route that will connect North Quay with the town centre, link the railway station with the Market Place and create views over Breydon Water and the Broads.

The Leisure Box will form the dynamic heart of the North Quay regeneration, delivering a landmark destination designed to transform Great Yarmouth’s visitor experience. Anchored by an IMAX-ready multi-screen cinema and conferencing facility it will be a major family entertainment destination that also includes competitive socialising spaces. The Leisure Box, along with the retail outlet and hotel, will play a pivotal role in generating hundreds of jobs, boosting the local economy and establishing North Quay as one of the region’s most exciting leisure destinations.

The regeneration will include a reimagined gateway to Great Yarmouth from the railway station and will prioritise sustainability, biodiversity improvements and green infrastructure. It will promote walking and cycling through safe, accessible routes and high-quality green spaces, while achieving exceptional environmental performance through sustainable design and flood resilience measures developed with the Environment Agency.

The development, which will also reconnect the town centre to the river and unlock long-overlooked views, has been shaped by the council’s long-term regeneration strategy, the North Quay SPD (Supplementary Planning Document), and planning policy aspirations for the waterfront. The vision divides the site into several quarters, each of which will have its own distinct identity and purpose, as part of a fresh riverside experience.

Willmott Dixon, which was chosen as the developer for the project by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, has chosen to partner with Rioja Estates Ltd, a leading UK-based real estate development company that specialises in premium outlet destinations and has extensive expertise in retail-led regeneration. Its portfolio includes some of the most innovative designer outlet projects in the UK and internationally, and it has brought forward outlets in Bridgend, Swindon and Cannock, as well as sites in Europe including Malmö Designer Village.

Councillor Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: “This incredibly exciting development will breathe new life into our town and is something we have been working towards for many years. The ambitious vision dovetails with our determination to make Great Yarmouth a thriving place to live, work and visit. It will bring hundreds of new jobs for local people and build on our reputation as a wonderful place to visit and spend time. In tandem with bold regeneration completed or underway in the Market Place, The Conge and other locations in the town, North Quay demonstrates the confidence successful businesses have in the future of our borough. Evidence shows that thriving retail and leisure outlets complement existing business and grow opportunities, and we look forward to working with local stakeholders to ensure the North Quay delivers for everyone.’’

The Great Yarmouth Sculpture Trail was officially opened earlier this month, creating an exciting new experience to encourage visitors to the town and explore.

Comprising of 12 brand new artworks specially commissioned for the art trail, visiting them all takes around 1 1/2 to 2 hours following a circular route from the market place to the seafront and back. The recommended starting point is ‘Yarn with Ernie’ located near Lloyds bank in the new market place piazza area.

Funded by the Government’s Town Deal  and Future High Streets Funds, Great Yarmouth Borough Council worked with a number of sculptors and art organisations to create a collection that reflected the best of Great Yarmouth, celebrating its rich maritime and medieval history, its growing presence in the clean energy industry and the town’s culture including its role as a centre for circus and street arts.

Printed trail guides are available from the library in The Place in the Market Place with an electronic version available to download here  https://www.uncoveringyarmouth.org/map/trails/great-yarmouth-arts-trail

A first Business Crime Summit was held in June to provide information and guidance to town centre businesses on retail crime and anti-social behaviour. Hosted in The Hive, the meeting space in The Place, the summit included presentations from Town Centre Partnership of its ShopSafe Crime Reduction Initiative, Great Yarmouth Borough Council on the Public Space Protection Order that went live in April and from the Police Town Centre Beat Management Team. Further presentations included advice of protecting your business from Cyber Crime from the Eastern Cyber Resilience Centre and an overview of the Borough Councils Civic Pride initiative “Together We Can”. The event was attended by over 30 people representing from town centre businesses who had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss their concerns with the speakers. A similar event is being planned for the Autumn.

Following six months of road works and bus route disruptions the improvement works at the Market Gates bus interchange are now complete. The improvements facilitated two-way travel through the bus station for buses allowing northbound services to pick up passengers from the west side of the bus station and proceed directly north towards Caister, Norwich etc. The one-way system around Deneside and King street was reversed to allow buses to enter the bus station from the south along with the one-way system on Regent Street and Regent Road. The improvement works, managed by Norfolk County Council and cost close to £2m, were instigated to generate shorter bus journey times and improved reliability for passengers as well as reducing bus travel on key routes used by other transport users within the town centre. More information can be found at  https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/58944/Market-Gates-bus-service-improvement-scheme

The installation of 11 new public space CCTV cameras in and around the town centre will take place in July. These are being added to those that are already be monitored by staff at the Great Yarmouth CCTV control room that operates 24/7. The new camera locations include the Market Place end of St. Nicholas Road, a camera at the North and South apex of the roof of the new covered market, two cameras along The Conge, one near Jims Butchers and the other at the junction with North Quay with a further camera near the Rail Station adjacent to the Vauxhall foot bridge. The remaining cameras are located at the South end of the town in areas identified as crime hot spots by police. The new cameras, installed with funding allocated from the Governments Safer Streets fund and match funded by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, brings the total number of CCTV cameras monitored by the CCTV control, the operation of which is part funded by Great Yarmouth BID and Town Centre Partnership members, to ninety-four cameras.

The Great Yarmouth Business Improvement District (GYBID) has been recognised for its high standards and received a national accreditation for Business Improvement Districts. The BID Foundation’s Industry Standards was awarded to GYBID in recognition of its standards of transparency and responsible governance, following an independent review process.

The BID Foundation, a group of over 70 Business Improvement Districts, has developed the Industry Standards for all BIDs with input from UK government and other national bodies. The Standards highlight information and documentation that should be made publicly accessible and easily identifiable by every BID, and are independently accredited by the Institute of Place Management.

GYBID has passed the Industry Standards accreditation by demonstrating the high standards of aspects including its business plan, governance mechanisms and reporting, Directors and personal interests, and detail on ballot results.