West Norfolk Council has just put the finishing touches to plans to buy land near Boal Quay, at the basin of the River Nar, in a move which will help create a 250-berth marina along with a hotel, shops, restaurants and waterside flats.

The deal was announced at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Council leader Cllr Nick Daubney told the Lynn News the acquisition represents huge progress with the scheme.

He said: "It is a major step forward and we are absolutely delighted.

"The key to this was the basin of the river itself, which is a major part of the puzzle. We have been negotiating to acquire that and those talks have now come to a successful conclusion.

"We are also managing to complete that well within the existing budget arrangements." He could not reveal the cost of the deal and said two or three smaller land acquisitions were still needed before the development area is complete.

Work will then start on creating a fully-prepared site which can be handed to private developers for the next stage of the project.

Cllr Daubney said updated plans should be available over the coming months, which will include detailed images of how the marina may look.