‘Major ambitions’ for Suffolk seaside town see demolition approved for car park and section of local centre
The plans are part of Lowestoft's Cultural Quarter project
‘Major ambitions’ for a seaside town in Suffolk have resulted in the demolition of a car park and a section of a local centre being approved.
Members of East Suffolk’s planning committee met on Friday last week to discuss and unanimously approve plans to demolish Lowestoft’s Battery Green car park and the northern wing of the Marina Centre.
The plans are part of the council’s Cultural Quarter project, one of its five regeneration projects which received £24.9 from the Government’s Towns Fund in 2022 — other projects include the restoration of the former Lowestoft post office, refurbishment of the town hall, redevelopment of Royal Plain, and the development of the Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF).
The approval follows a decision made earlier this month to move the council’s customer service offices from the Marina Centre into Lowestoft Library in September.
The report presented to councillors on Friday read: “There are major growth and regeneration ambitions for Lowestoft, with Battery Green forming an important component of the future vision for the town.”
Darren Gleave, an associate at Chaplin Farrant, the design team behind the project, said the project would be transformative and help tackle decreases in footfall and increasing vacancy rates.
Cllr Paul Ashdown added: “Battery Green car park has been a monstrosity in this town for a significant amount of time and to see this actually go and something else come in its place which is exciting, it’s something we should really endorse.”
Also approved on Friday was the realignment of Marina Road, and the provision of a new cultural and community hub with studio space for creative businesses, alongside a leisure complex and a restaurant — a new ‘public realm’ will also be created, made up of a civic square and a central corridor connecting Marina Road to Gordon Road.
Cllr Julia Ewart said: “It’s really important that the messaging of this is important — it’s an opportunity we have been given by the Government to deliver something that’s really positive.”