Retail-led plans for Great Yarmouth Quayside regeneration

Rioja Estates and Willmott Dixon Developments have submitted plans for a £150 million mixed-use regeneration of Great Yarmouth's North Quay, with an outlet village forming the commercial anchor for a new waterfront destination.

The Quayside proposals combine retail, leisure, hospitality, a 120-bedroom hotel and up to 60 homes alongside new public realm and improved connections between the town centre, waterfront and railway station.

At the centre of the development would be an open-air outlet village accommodating around 70 brands, supported by a dedicated food quarter and an entertainment district.

The latter would include a Leisure Box incorporating an IMAX-ready cinema, flexible multimedia and conferencing facilities, co-working space, competitive socialising and family entertainment uses, with rooftop activities including padel also proposed.

The mixed-use approach is intended to generate activity throughout the day and across the year, rather than relying solely on Great Yarmouth's established seasonal visitor economy.

Giles Membrey, Managing Director of Rioja Estates, said: “We know that when you introduce a high-quality, value-led destination, which is what an outlet is, and combine it with strong leisure, overall footfall rises, dwell time increases and the wider town centre benefits.”

He added: “Quayside will complement Great Yarmouth town centre and help it to thrive.”

The 120-bedroom hotel would face The Conge, while up to 60 homes are proposed overlooking the river and public spaces. Delivery would be phased, beginning with the outlet and leisure village, public realm and parking infrastructure before progressing to the hotel and residential elements.

A multi-storey car park providing up to 915 spaces also forms part of the application.

The scheme has been developed following public consultations in February and July this year. Changes resulting from that process include repositioning the hotel to protect heritage views, revising the location of the Leisure Box and improving landscaping and pedestrian routes.

The Grade II listed buildings at 80-82 North Quay would be retained and repurposed for community uses, while a new riverside walkway and public realm would seek to reconnect the development with the area's maritime heritage.

Matthew Knight, National Head of Development (Investment) at Willmott Dixon Developments, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to unlock the potential of a key waterfront site, creating new jobs, homes, leisure opportunities and public spaces while strengthening connections between the town centre and waterfront.”

Independent analysis by ADE Regeneration commissioned for the project forecasts that Quayside could attract around two million additional visits to Great Yarmouth annually.

It estimates the completed development could support approximately 1,270 on-site jobs and generate £62 million in net additional annual Gross Value Added, although those figures remain projections dependent on the scheme's delivery and subsequent performance.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has led land assembly for the development and secured £20 million through the Government's Levelling Up Fund. The project is being progressed through a long-term partnership between the council, Rioja Estates and Willmott Dixon Developments.

Councillor Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: “Regenerating this key gateway location at North Quay will provide the biggest transformation the town has seen in decades and will deliver huge benefits for the borough and its vital tourism industry.”

The application has been submitted as the council completes its emerging Local Plan, which is expected to be adopted in September.

A planning decision is expected in early 2027. Subject to approval, construction is scheduled to begin in 2028, with Quayside targeted to open in 2030.