Bid to revamp riverside footpath can proceed after funding U-turn

It was a plan that had previously caused a ruckus among councillors earlier this year.But now a bid to revamp a riverside footpath can take a major step forward following a U-turn over the £287,000 needed to bring it to fruition.The scheme to upgrade the riverbank walk in West Lynn – which takes people to the ferry crossing to Lynn town centre – had caused controversy when it was first proposed in March.

Villagers behind the project hoped to resurface the stretch of path between the village football field and the Clenchwarton Road bridge that connects West Lynn with Lynn to make it more accessible for wheelchair users.They say it will help encourage more people to ditch their cars and walk, as currently in the winter months the path turns into a muddy quagmire. More than 150 locals have supported a petition for the project.However, members of West Norfolk Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) panel – the group of councillors responsible for deciding which projects receive money obtained from developer contributions – refused to give any money towards it.

It was blocked on the grounds that more quotes were needed from contractors before it was approved. Cllr Alexandra Kemp, a borough councillor supporting the project, complained it had been turned down unfairly.She called it an “act of skullduggery” after it was rejected, arguing the county council, which will undertake the work, had already got the best value for money through its own vetting process. After going back to the drawing board, councillors have now approved the funds following a further attempt.

Cllr Michael De Whalley, a member of the CIL panel, said: “This will help support the council’s aim of boosting active travel and is in line with the riverside regeneration project.“People often say the best place to view King’s Lynn is from the western side of the river.”Following the decision, Cllr Kemp said: “This key active travel route into Lynn needs to be made disability compliant as soon as possible.“I am working hard with NCC engineers, the Rights of Way and Boundaries Teams, the Environment Agency and the Borough Capital Projects Team to make this a reality.”