Published: Monday, 8th December 2025
Residents, community groups, businesses and others are invited to help shape a masterplan for King’s Lynn, which will guide sustainable regeneration, investment and opportunity in the town.
The borough council wants to hear people’s views to create an up-to-date strategic vision for where King’s Lynn should be heading over the next 20-plus year as a distinctive and attractive place to live, work, visit, spend leisure time and do business.
Once finalised, this blueprint will put King’s Lynn in the best position to respond to future investment opportunities, including from private businesses and public funding for jobs, transport, housing and growth expected from proposed devolution in Norfolk and Suffolk.
It will also inform West Norfolk’s next Local Plan and work alongside the complementary Regeneration Plan to prioritise how £20m of Pride in Place funding from Government should be spent over the next decade, focussed around thriving places, stronger and empowered communities.
Working with urban designers and town planners from multidisciplinary design consultancy, BDP, the borough council has initially brought together opportunities identified from previous plans, strategies, studies and recent extensive consultations, alongside holding early workshops with local key stakeholders.
As the next exciting step, the community is now invited to look at the work so far and share thoughts on the proposed strategic masterplan objectives, the emerging thinking for public realm improvements along the riverfront, and design briefs for regeneration opportunities at six specific priority locations.
These priority locations 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).
People’s thoughts will help to inform a draft masterplan document, which will be subject to a follow-up public consultation early in 2026, before being presented to councillors for approval.
Find out more and have your say in this consultation until Friday 16 January at www.visionkingslynn.co.uk/have-your-say If you don’t have online access, you are welcome to use the public-access PCs at King’s Court reception and local libraries, or call Customer Services on 01553 616200 for a paper copy of the survey form.
People are also invited to speak with the project team at the following drop-in events:
- Friday 12 December 11:00-17:00, Events Trailer, Tuesday Market Place
- Tuesday 16 December 15:00-18:00, Events Trailer, Tuesday Market Place
- Tuesday 6 January 14:00-17:00, Corn Exchange Foyer
- Saturday 10 January 11:00-17:00, Corn Exchange Foyer
- Tuesday 13 January 11:00-14:00, Corn Exchange Foyer
- Friday 16 January 14:00-17:00, Corn Exchange Foyer
The exhibition boards from these drop-in events will be available at the Tourist Information Centre, at Stories of Lynn, Saturday Market Place throughout the consultation period.
Councillor Simon Ring, Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet member for Business, said: “King’s Lynn holds a timeless charm in so many ways. Its rich maritime heritage, historic architecture and role at the heart of West Norfolk life give it a unique identity. But like all towns, it continues to evolve, and we owe it to future generations to think clearly and confidently about where we are heading.
“This masterplan is about setting out a long-term vision—one that is strong enough to guide investment and opportunity over the next 20 years and beyond, and steady enough to bridge election cycles and political changes. It won’t prescribe every detail of the future, but it will give us the shared direction and ambition our town needs to thrive.
“We are listening, and people’s views will genuinely shape the outcome. This isn’t a document created from a distance—it is being built with the community, and it will only succeed if the community is at its heart.
“We are local people too. We care deeply about King’s Lynn and want this to deliver for our wonderful home. With the help of local residents, businesses and groups, we have an opportunity to create a vision that is bold, realistic and rooted in what makes this place special. If we embrace this together, we can not only shape the future of our town, but confidently present that future to those who may invest in it.”
Vicky Etheridge, chair of the King’s Lynn Neighbourhood Board, added: “The Masterplan will identify a long-term vision, help to prioritise how £20m of Pride in Place funding from Government should be spent and ensure we’re in a strong position to capture further investment and other opportunities.
“We want to ensure this is a collective, shared vision of the whole community. So please go on the website or come along to one of the drop-in events to have a look at how plans are shaping up and share your view to create a draft masterplan.”