Special event highlighted opportunities with multi-million pound projects in town

Opportunities for contractors and suppliers to get involved in multi-million pound developments being delivered in Lynn were showcased at a special event.Hosted by West Norfolk Council, the ‘meet the buyer’ event was held on April 19 and offered attendees the chance to learn about Town Deal projects – including those for a new multi-user community hub, active travel hubs, St George’s Guildhall, and the riverfront regeneration.Lynn was awarded £25million from the Towns Fund in 2021.

In addition, developer Lovell’s major housing partnership with the borough council, which is creating up to 1,000 new homes – as well as the West Winch Housing Access Road and the Southgates and Gyratory highway schemes – was also highlighted.The event allowed attendees to find out about potential opportunities to be part of principal contractors’ supply chains, learn about the council’s procurement process, and register interest for contracts. Also in attendance on the day were representatives from Norfolk County Council, as well as the main contractors Mace Group, Morgan Sindall Group plc, and Lovell Partnership Ltd.

Delegates were also able to access advice and support from projects and organisations including New Anglia Growth Hub, College of West Anglia, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, and the Federation of Small Business.In addition, the team from Boost was on hand to share how it can support those aged 16-30 in West Norfolk to access employment support, advice, and training, working alongside the West Norfolk Training Grants scheme.The project, run by the county council, was previously a Lynn Town Deal project – but thanks to UK Shared Prosperity Funding it has recently extended its services across the whole borough.The event saw attendance from representatives of some 34 different companies from diverse sectors and specialisms.

Cllr Alistair Beales, the current cabinet member for business who is set to take over as council leader next month, said: “It was fantastic to welcome so many people to the meet the buyer event and see such high levels of interest in the transformational development that is set to benefit the area. “King’s Lynn and West Norfolk is benefitting from multi-million pound investment and we are keen to ensure that the significant regeneration that is planned has a positive impact on the local economy, including by highlighting opportunities to be part of supply chains.“Thank you to everyone who joined us at the event, and we look forward to continuing to share updates about the exciting regeneration projects as they progress.”

Cllr Chris Morley, cabinet member for finance, added: “Our meet the buyer event really outlined the scale of the investment that is coming into King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, and the huge potential it offers for our area. “The event allowed us to not only highlight the projects and how to engage with main contractors already appointed, but to also provide a comprehensive overview of our procurement process for anyone who may be interested in taking part in our competitive tender process for future work.“We hope that attendees found the event useful, and we are also grateful to the organisations and projects which took part in the day.”

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