CHRIS LAKEY The future development of Yarmouth and Lowestoft will come under the national spotlight next week as the region's MPs promote their constituency towns to investors at the House of Commons.

CHRIS LAKEY

The future development of Yarmouth and Lowestoft will come under the national spotlight next week as

the region's MPs promote their constituency towns to investors at the House of Commons.

Urban regeneration company 1st East have organised next Thursday's event at the Terrace Pavilion in Westminster to attract vital financial support for their plans to revitalise the two coastal towns after the decline of their traditional industries.

It will be hosted by Waveney MP Bob Blizzard and Tony Wright, MP for Great Yarmouth, in a bid to convince some of the country's leading politicians and businessmen of the potential in the brownfield and waterfront sites earmarked for development.

Richard Wright, 1st East chairman, said: "We're delighted our two local MPs are hosting this important event at Westminster on our behalf.

"We are expecting more than 100 local, regional and national property developers, along with institutional investors who will be coming to see the ambitious regeneration plans for the two towns."

Last month, 1st East published the results of a consultation into their ambitious plans to develop 12 key sites across Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

They said the majority of respondents were in favour of the proposals, which include specialist bars, shops and restaurants at Ice House Quay in Yarmouth, and provisions for light industrial premises and a neighbourhood park in South Denes.

The most popular schemes planned for Lowestoft included a cultural park at Ness Point and a marina and leisure development on the Brooke Peninsula of Lake Lothing with around 500 waterfront homes.

"Now that we have those regeneration plans we are moving towards delivering the planned first class homes, offices, public areas, commercial and retail developments in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth," said Mr Wright.

"Delegates will be able to meet with our key partners, talk to our board members and, importantly, sign up for follow-up visits to tour the development areas and see the opportunities to be realised."

Mr Blizzard said that the promotion was vital for the future success of Lowestoft and Yarmouth.

He added: "It is only right that it should take place in the House of Commons in the heart of London so that the country's leading investors, business people and politicians can see all that we have to offer.

"Tony Wright and myself are looking forward to letting the rest of the country know all that is positive about the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth areas."