An 'ambitious vision' to regenerate a waterfront site along the coast will be put to the public ahead of the next step forward in the multi-million pound redevelopment.

The four-hectare North Quay area is set for a facelift, after the council's local plan identified scope for 1,000 new homes, retail and leisure developments across several waterfront sites.

In July 2019, the council allocated £2.5m to buy up properties at North Quay, and at a meeting of Great Yarmouth Borough Council's policy and resources committee on Tuesday, October 15, councillors agreed to move forward with public consultation on an initial planning document for the site.

The public will be invited to give their views on the draft supplementary planning document during a four-week consultation period, with residents and businesses in the area directly notified.

Graham Plant, Conservative councillor for Bradwell North, said: "To make the area more useful to the borough is the right thing to do.

"I'm thoroughly pleased this has come forward and I think that it's something that we need to move forwards with at pace."

But he added: "We don't want to lose businesses from the area - we want to encourage businesses."

Councillors voiced concerns over protected habitats in the area, including near the Acle Straight, flood risk assessments and ground conditions.

The draft plan, which will be distributed on the council's website, at the town hall reception and the library, says initial findings from surveys indicate good levels of air quality and noted that flood defences currently protect the site from "all but the most extreme events (1 in 1,000 chance)".

Flood risk, ecological and ground contamination mitigation would need to be considered as part of any future application, Adam Nicholls, head of planning, told councillors.

"It is likely that appropriate mitigation measures can be put in place to deal with this," he said.

And Trevor Wainwright, Labour councillor for Magdalen Ward, added: "I know that Gorleston is forgotten about but there are as many people that side of the water as there are this side.

"I would ask that copies of the leaflet are available to give people a chance to know what's going on."

And Samuel Hubbard, strategic planning manager for the council, said this would be arranged for residents.