King's Lynn community group welcomes £25 million estate redevelopment plan

A Lynn community group has given its backing to multi-million pound plans for the redevelopment of a town housing estate.

Members of the public will have the chance to have their say on the latest proposals for Hillington Square at a consultation event later today.

But the St Margarets with St Nicholas Ward Forum has welcomed the new plans, following an online discussion session yesterday evening.

The group's chairman, Dr Julian Litten, highlighted a 2020 Government report which said social housing and local authority developers should do more to make their schemes desirable places to live.

He added: "It is encouraging to see that, having listened to the comments of the residents of Hillington Square and those who live in the adjacent streets, that this should be the case."

Freebridge Community Housing, which runs the estate, unveiled its latest £25 million plan to complete the decade-long transformation of the area last week.

Under the new plans, 70 new homes would be created, and 26 others refurbished.

Three blocks – Aitken, Chestnut and Norris Houses – would be redeveloped, along with the Providence Street Community Centre.

Two others, Farrow and Vicarage, will be refurbished.

And Dr Litten said the move to refurbish, rather than demolish, those blocks, would minimise the impact of the development on the nearby All Saints' Church.

He continued: "The main new development will be the provision of a mix of private housing and low-rise blocks in a new landscaped square to the east of the church, on the site of the present Providence Street Community Centre.

"It is the view of the ward forum that this will ensure that the ground floors of the new blocks will have sufficient space to accommodate the activities currently offered by the community centre."

The group has also welcomed plans for extra parking on the site, plus electric car charging points and bike storage.

Dr Litten added: "The ward forum welcomes its engagement in the process and looks forward to the next stage."

The first of two in-person consultation events takes place at the Providence Street centre today, from 3.30 to 7.30pm. The second is on Saturday, from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

An online survey, available via the project website – futureofhillingtonsquare.co.uk – remains open until Monday.