More than £32m will be invested in projects across Norfolk and Suffolk to create more than 1,000 new jobs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich Research Park. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMANNorwich Research Park. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

Great Yarmouth’s seafront, the Food Innovation Centre in Broadland and North Walsham’s town centre are among 13 projects that have all been listed for a share of a £900m Getting Building Fund by the government.

Yarmouth’s new water and leisure visitor attraction will see a further £20m of additional funding to rebalance the area’s local economy and boost the area by some £260m.

The New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said as well as creating new infrastructure and projects in the region, the funding will safeguard more than 2,900 jobs and aims to be delivered in 18 months.

Doug Field, its chairman, said: “It shows the government’s commitment to our area and allows us to work with partners to bring forward key infrastructure projects and help us achieve the goals in the new Economic Recovery Restart Plan and Economic Strategy.”

The creation of an energy sector operations and maintenance campus in Great Yarmouth is also included, as well as the development of the county’s three Enterprise Zones, in Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn and Norwich Research Park.

Councillor Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for growing the economy, said: “This is fantastic news for Norfolk and Great Yarmouth and only serves to see the future of Great Yarmouth and the energy sector in the county shine brighter.”

The Food Innovation Centre will receive funding for bespoke food-grade incubator units, test kitchens and sensory testing facilities, integrated with a Food Hub delivering in-depth innovation support to 90 food processing businesses.

Mr Field said: “These projects will help us deliver on our ambitions to be a fantastic place to live, work and learn. From providing new community facilities and training centres to redeveloping our town centres and supporting our key sectors, the projects will accelerate local growth and support our economic recovery.”

Through the development a cluster programme will be created across the food sector in Norfolk and Suffolk and run by Hethel Innovation and the University of East Anglia.

North Walsham town centre revitalisation programme has also been listed to benefit from funding to make the centre more accessible.

The Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) will also benefit to implement ultra-fast broadband into 80 additional public buildings through its network across Norfolk, specifically within rural communities.

The creation of a new integrated care system academy at the University of Suffolk and additional funding for New Anglia LEP’s Business Resilience and Recovery Scheme which offers grants to businesses as they recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Councillor Tom FitzPatrick, cabinet member for innovation, transformation and performance, said: “This is truly wonderful news for everyone across the county and we welcome the commitment and investment announced today. Having this funding invested into such technology will enable more spaces to be better connected with Full Fibre and is another building block in our aim of creating a truly Digital Norfolk.”