A £2m regeneration project for King's Lynn's historic quarter has moved a step closer to becoming a reality.

The scheme is one of two applications for lottery funding made by West Norfolk ciouncil which have received initial support.

The Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) project, which could create a £2m funding pot to rejuvenate empty and derelict land and buildings in Lynn, has been awarded development funding of £37,700 to help the council to complete a full grant application.

The project, which will cover the town's St Margaret's and St Nicholas' conservation areas, will help the council achieve its priorities of bringing empty properties back into use and protecting the town's heritage by helping to preserve key buildings.

Council regeneration manager Ostap Paparega said: 'The scheme will help to create and safeguard local jobs, with estimates of around 125 new jobs being created in the vacant commercial properties, a further 160 jobs in the local economy and around 250 existing jobs safeguarded for the future.

'Confirmation of this funding is excellent news. We would to thank King's Lynn Civic Society, King's Lynn Preservation Trust and the College of West Anglia for their support.

'They helped us shape our initial application. We look forward to continuing to work with them to develop our full grant application which needs to be submitted within the next 12 months.'

A first-round pass means that money has been set aside by the HLF, subject to a satisfactory application from the council.

Alison Gifford, chairman of King's Lynn Civic Society, said: 'We are delighted that the merits of the the Townscape Heritage Initiative bid for King's Lynn have been recognised. 'This initiative is a very positive way forward to improve the look of parts of the town in a vital location between the main retail, heritage and residential areas in the central area of the town.

'It should strengthen the economic and social vitality of this southern part of the town centre by creating active streets, bringing back into use empty properties, raising the quality of the built environment and maximising the potential of the area's heritage assets.' The second project, Stories of Lynn, has also received a development grant of £126,000 to enable the council to develop its plans to use the historic town hall to tell the history of King's Lynn.

The project includes developing access, improving the archive facility within the town hall and providing better interpretation of collections and archives for visitors.