Views sought on development at Kirkley Waterfront Lowestoft

People are being urged to give their views on what should be included in a new planning document which will help bring forward development at Kirkley Waterfront.

Kirkley Waterfront. (Image: East Suffolk Council/ESRI community maps)

East Suffolk Council has launched a month long public consultation with comments welcomed for what should be included in the council's Planning Position Statement for the Kirkley Waterfront and Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood.

Kirkley Waterfront on the south side of Lake Lothing features mostly brownfield land, including various former manufacturing and boat-building sites that was identified for development in the Waveney Local Plan.

Part of the empty former Jeld Wen timber factory site in Lowestoft. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

It includes the vacant former Jeld Wen, Brooke Marine, SCA Recycling, Sanyo and Survitec sites.

The former Brooke Marine site in Lowestoft. (Image: Lowestoft Record Office)

According to the Waveney Local Plan, produced in 2019, this area is earmarked for a mixed-use development which includes around 1,380 new homes, a retirement community, primary school, pre-school, playing field, local retail centre, marina facilities and employment development.

While some of the site has already been developed alongside development near the site, much remains vacant or underused.

We want your views on what should be included in a new planning document which will help bring forward development at Kirkley Waterfront in Lowestoft:https://t.co/HIzNK2x3lg pic.twitter.com/z0r9UIVMbL

— East Suffolk Council (@EastSuffolk) March 6, 2024

East Suffolk is now preparing a Planning Position Statement, which will provide guidance to landowners and developers on the council’s position on key issues affecting development, while recognising any changes after previous guidance for the area was produced more than a decade ago.

East Suffolk Council headquarters in Lowestoft. Inset: Cllr Kay Yule Pictures: Newsquest/East Suffolk Council (Image: Newsquest/East Suffolk Council)

Kay Yule, East Suffolk’s cabinet member for planning and coastal management, said: “It is a long-held ambition of the council to maximise the opportunities offered by this prominent waterfront site and transform it into a vibrant community that local people can take pride in.

“Although the site was first identified for regeneration in 2009, there has been limited redevelopment to date and a Planning Position Statement will help to bring clarity to landowners, developers and important partners and help bring development forward."

With the consultation closing on April 3, people are invited to give their views online at www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/planning-policy-consultations

'Vibrant community'

Posing the question: "What should be included in the Council's Planning Position Statement to help bring forward development in the Kirkley Waterfront area?" it states: "The council wants to maximise the opportunities presented by this large waterfront site and its linkages to the town centre."

With this consultation separate to a recent public consultation undertaken by the owners of the Jeld Wen site on their proposed redevelopment plans, of the Brooke Marine site, which "occupies a prominent location on the inner harbour," it adds: "Planning permission  for a housing-led redevelopment was granted in 2015, but no substantive building works have taken place to date."

It comes as the council was awarded £4.2m funding from the Government's Brownfield Land Release Fund in October last year to remediate the land on the former Sanyo and Survitec manufacturing sites.