Development great for town

In his weekly column, North West Norfolk MP James Wild discusses town developments…Buildings left unloved can blight town centres. Just look at the old Post Office building casting a shadow over Baxter’s Plain. However, by looking at what is happening opposite it we can also see the potential for change when there is investment and vision as the new library and community hub takes shape.The old Argos building is being gutted as one of the £25million Town Deal projects for Lynn to benefit the town and wider area. As I saw on an early look with Town Board members, decked out in hard hats and safety gear last week, construction work is on track for a modern bigger library, with light streaming through the atrium, more books on display, and showcasing some of the rare book collection currently locked away.

Talking to the team designing the library space to reflect views from local people and schools, it is exciting to see what is in store when it opens in a year’s time.In addition to the library, there will be adult learning, support and advice for small businesses and people thinking of starting their own firm. It will be a community space creating more footfall in the town centre and giving purpose to a defunct building. Importantly there will be a Changing Places toilet to make the building and visiting the town centre more accessible to all.I’m sure I’m not alone in being particularly pleased that we are taking the opportunity to reconfigure the frontage in order to open up the public space to provide better views of the art deco-style Majestic Cinema. Let’s hope that the progress on this project encourages action to turn the Post Office back into an operating building taking forward plans which secured permission some time ago.

The current Carnegie library building is rightly valued and as reported in this paper it is essential it is retained for a community purpose when the improved facilities in the new centre open. That is very much the plan. Another of the Town Deal regeneration projects took a big step forward this week as planning permission was granted for the renovation and refurbishment of St George’s Guildhall. The plans will create a major attraction based on preserving the heritage and Shakespeare links of the theatre to create educational, cultural, and economic opportunities with space for creative start-ups and firms.There are still challenges in delivering the project but getting this right would inspire children and young people, create jobs, and bring in millions of pounds to our local economy through more visitors and footfall.

After many meetings, discussions, consultations, and a few setbacks there is momentum in these projects and the potential to benefit the town and North West Norfolk more broadly for local people is exciting.