• Vision King’s Lynn

Vision King’s Lynn

RAIL TO RIVER

Town Investment Plan theme: Historic riverfront and repurposed town centre

The purpose of this project is to improve and make better use of the public realm – creating a safe, vibrant, and attractive town centre, delivering public realm improvements along a key route from the rail station to the river.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

This project will help to increase footfall into the town, improve the accessibility and attractiveness of key sites on the route, and improve perception of the area, residents, visitors, and businesses. It forms part of the wider Public Realm Action Plan for King’s Lynn.

The rail station is a major entrance point into the town and one of the first places people see on arrival into King’s Lynn.

Creating a route from here and travelling through to the river is the focus for this project as the consultation demonstrated that people believe more could be made of this area.

Here’s what the project will bring:

  • High impact public realm improvements: at the rail station and Purfleet Street;
  • Pop-up opportunities: at least three pop up units to provide opportunities for start-up and small businesses to trial new products and services at Purfleet Street;
  • New outdoor seating and tree planting: at the rail station and Purfleet Street;
  • Secure cycle storage unit and facility: relocation of existing cycle stands on Purfleet Street, replaced with a secure bike hub facility in Baker Lane;
  • Better navigation: 30 new finger post signs to make it easier to get around town. And digital signage at the rail station that will also promote what’s on in the town;
  • Artwork: from rail to river (see project call for more detail).

This project was a Town Deal fast track business case which means it was submitted to government, and the money has already been released.

Work on this started in the summer of 2022 and will carry on until spring 2023.

Apart from making the town look more appealing and easier to get around, we expect that this project will increase footfall into the town centre.

The project will also benefit local businesses and specifically small, start-up businesses accessing the pop-up opportunities.

The project is being led by the Town Deal Public Realm and Repurposing Working Group, working on behalf of the Town Board.

This group has been set up to repurpose the town centre with new experiences and businesses and to enhance cultural opportunities. The group aims to make the town better connected, and bring more people in to enjoy all the town centre has to offer.

PROJECT TIMELINE

  • December 2021:

    Stage 1

    Business case submitted to the Town Deal Board for review, then submitted to Government.

  • January 2022:

    Stage 2

    Public engagement on the project’s proposals and ideas sought for public art.
  • January 2022:

    Stage 3

    Finger posts and street furniture procurement.
  • September 2023:

    Stage 4

    Application for planning consent for public artwork.
  • October 2023:

    Stage 5

    Installation of digital signpost at the railway station.
  • January 2023:

    Stage 6

    Installation of Purfleet street archway and pop up units.
  • March 2024:

    Stage 7

    Installation of public artwork.

DOCUMENTS

FEEDBACK

Feedback to start once first phase of the project is underway.