Published: Wednesday, 10th September 2025
King’s Lynn community will be invited to shape a compelling vision for how they’d like the town to evolve over the next 20-plus years, as part of a masterplan to be developed by the Borough Council.
The council is starting work with urban designers and town planners from multidisciplinary design consultancy, BDP, to prepare a long-term strategic view of where King’s Lynn should be heading as a distinctive and sustainable place to live, work, visit, spend leisure time and do business.
The resulting King’s Lynn Masterplan will bring together opportunities identified from previous plans, strategies, studies and recent extensive consultations into one updated clear, cohesive vision for the physical regeneration ambitions of the town, guiding growth and investment over the next 20 years.
This blueprint will put King’s Lynn in the best position to respond to investment opportunities, including those expected from proposed devolution in Norfolk & Suffolk. It will inform West Norfolk’s next Local Plan and work alongside the complementary Regeneration Plan for how £20m of Plan for Neighbourhoods funding from Government should be spent over the next decade.
Alongside shaping the high-level vision, the master-planning process will explore further regeneration opportunities at six specific priority locations in King’s Lynn, considering their viability, availability and deliverability.
These sites are: the former Debenhams, St James Swimming Pool, Common Staithe Quay, Church Street, Port and Timber Yard area, West Lynn (former Del Monte and dredging sites).
In addition, the design for Devil’s Alley will be reviewed with the community and other stakeholders, as part of a priority area for phased riverfront regeneration under the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme and devolution, potentially connecting South Quay through Boal Quay to Southgates.
The process will involve wide-ranging engagement with the public, property owners, businesses communities and other partners over the coming months. Initially, there will be an update on the forthcoming process for community groups at a Community Conference next week, plus a public display for those attending the Heritage Open Day at the Sommerfeld and Thomas Warehouse on the riverfront on Sunday 14 September, 10am-4pm. Details of the opportunities for residents to get involved will be announced in the coming weeks.
Councillor Simon Ring, Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet member for Business, said:
“We already have several strategic plans relating to King’s Lynn, plus opportunities identified through previous consultations, studies and plans. We look forward to bringing these together into one updated, clear strategic vision for King’s Lynn, alongside re-engaging with communities.
The resultant masterplan will be a consistent and ambitious long-term vision for our town, considering future land use, public realm, highways, town centre access and connectivity needs for the next 20-plus years, fostering vibrant, healthy, safe and cohesive communities.
King’s Lynn has so many rich and interwoven strands, whether that be its enduring connections to the river, tourism, retail, night-time economy, housing, sports, education and the community itself. We want to shape a vision that reflects this diversity and heritage as part of a coherent shared vision and ambition for future economic regeneration and growth.
The masterplan will become the overarching blueprint for King’s Lynn, ready to attract private investment and respond to investment opportunities that may arise over the coming years, including devolution for Norfolk and Suffolk. It will provide a clear and deliverable pipeline of investment priorities that will support the economic growth and regeneration of King’s Lynn as the primary centre and economic driver for growth in West Norfolk.
For 35 years I grew a business in West Norfolk, and I have lived here my entire life. It has long frustrated me that our town has lacked a bold and ambitious vision. That frustration is why I came into local politics in 2023. Now, with this masterplan, we have a chance to set out the creative, inclusive and dynamic direction that King’s Lynn needs. I call on all residents, businesses and stakeholders to engage wholeheartedly. If we get behind this together, we can not only shape our town’s future but also sell that vision with pride to others.”
Gergana Draganova, Urban Design Director at BDP, added:
“King’s Lynn deserves a masterplan that’s as ambitious and distinctive as the town itself. We know from our work here already that this is a place full of energy, history and opportunity, and the moment to capture that potential is now. We are listening and shaping ideas alongside the community and preparing to turn vision into action. This masterplan is about creating real change for the town. Vibrant streets, thriving places, and projects that unlock investment and make life better for people. We’re excited to get started and to help King’s Lynn set out a bold direction for its future.”