There is still time for people to have their say on proposed designs for redevelopment in a coastal town centre.
A new restaurant catering for around 80 people, pop up bars, competitive leisure uses - including urban mini golf, indoor climbing walls, an outdoor cinema, soft play, exhibition and event spaces - have been earmarked as part of an "exciting" regeneration project.
After Lowestoft was awarded £24.9m from the government's £3.6bn Towns Fund in 2021 for five key projects, one of the transformational regeneration schemes is a new Cultural Quarter.
Conceptual designs for improvements in the Marina area - which will see new facilities introduced into Lowestoft town centre - have been proposed as part of the Cultural Quarter project, ahead of the submission of a planning application.
It will see the redevelopment of East Suffolk Council’s current Customer Services Centre and the former Battery Green multi-storey car park.
The development will provide a new cultural and community hub with studio space for businesses together with a competitive leisure complex and restaurant.
Working closely with East Suffolk Council, Norwich-based architects Chaplin Farrant - in partnership with Hemingway Design - have developed the conceptual designs.
A spokesman said: "The development will provide: 1 - a new cultural and community hub with studio space for creative businesses; 2 - a link providing porosity into building and informally connecting spaces within; 3 - a restaurant with flexible/rehearsal space above; 4 - refurbished Marina Centre for culture and placemaking; 5 - a competitive leisure complex and 6 - landscape enhancements to reinstate the original Battery Green Park."
The 'Competitive Leisure' offer earmarked states: "Whilst part of the car park will be demolished, the scheme will retain a large section of it for leisure uses such as urban mini golf, against the clock games such as virtual reality and escape rooms and family activities such as soft play and indoor climbing.
"The retained section of the car park will include a new entrance lobby providing access to all floors including the roof of the retained car park.
"The open space on the roof will be developed for a ‘pop up use’, with different types of activities being provided depending on the time of year.
"This could include pop up bars, outdoor cinema, exhibition and event spaces."
Spring 2026 opening
The proposed restaurant would be a "new build element opposite the Marina Centre" catering for around 80 people.
It adds: "Above the restaurant will be an additional space for the community to use.
"The restaurant will also have outdoor seating utilising the edge of the new Civic Square."
According to the project timeline, the planning phase of the scheme is winter 2023, with demolition and build earmarked for between spring 2024 to winter 2025, ahead of the buildings opening in spring 2026.
With a consultation running, and comments on the proposed designs for Lowestoft's Cultural Quarter project accepted until October 20, you can email thinklowestoft@eastsuffolk.gov.uk
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