Fakenham and Cromer levelling-up bids rejected by government

The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has announced 105 new projects it is pouring £1.7 billion into - but bids to improve sports facilities in Fakenham and public spaces in Cromer were turned down.

And while leaders of different parties have bemoaned the exclusion, North Norfolk's Tory MP Duncan Baker has also hit out at the Liberal Democrat-controlled North Norfolk District Council for failing to bid on a much-wished-for roundabout on Sheringham's Holway Road.

Tim Adams, leader of NNDC (Image: North Norfolk Council)

Councillor Tim Adams, NNDC leader, said: “We were disappointed that our levelling up bids were rejected, despite the local importance, the strong support of our residents and the backing of the district’s two MPs.

“In North Norfolk, it is our concern the area is being passed over for central government funding, despite being identified as a priority area [for funding]."

Mr Adams said the council had asked the levelling-up department why similar schemes with a lower priority status had been funded, but North Norfolk's were not. 

Mr Baker said he was "extremely disappointed" the Cromer and Fakenham bids were left out of the funding round.

But he said NNDC should have included the planned roundabout on the A148 and Holway Road junction in its bid.

Mr Baker said: "I specifically asked the council for the Sheringham roundabout to be included in our bid, as major infrastructure that would benefit many, many residents and visitors on the A148 corridor.

"But that was blocked by the Liberal Democrats who wanted to focus on improvements in Cromer, mainly to cliff-top attractions.

"Instead it is a wasted opportunity. I have now taken the issue of this junction to the government."

The junction is considered a dangerous spot, especially for motorists turning right, and the volume of vehicles using it pushes some drivers onto alternative routes, such as Britons Lane, which were not designed for heavy traffic.

A levelling up bid for Cromer was unsuccessful (Image: Archant)

Mr Adams called the MP's comments "disingenuous".

He said: "Mr Baker was told by the chief executive of Norfolk County Council that a bid for this roundabout would not have been approved.

"It would have cost around £3m but nothing as small as this was approved among the bids, with most in excess of £10m.

"The framework for the bid was geographically restricted as well, we did look at doing a Sheringham/Cromer bid, but we were not able to do so in the guidelines.”

Steffan Aquarone, Lib Dem county councillor and prospective parliamentary candidate for North Norfolk, added: "Rather than ploughing money into the South-East and the prime minister’s constituency, it’s about time that they stopped taking the people of North Norfolk for granted.”

The Fakenham bid was for almost £11m to pay for extensions to the Fakenham Sports and Fitness Centre in Trap Lane. 

In Fakenham, the bid was made for a proposed extension to the existing sports facility at Trap Lane (Image: Archant)

The council wanted to add a 25-metre, four-lane swimming pool with a moveable floor, as well as a 3G all-weather artificial grass pitch.

In Cromer, the council asked for £8.5 million to improve public areas and infrastructure in and around the town's clifftop gardens and wild spaces. The aim was to benefit the accessibility, health and well-being of residents and visitors.

This project would have included an orientation hub and Changing Places toilets at Runton Road Car Park, electric charging points, and an accessible cycle and buggy hire scheme. A network of walking and cycling routes was proposed to improve routes between the beach and the town centre.

There were also plans for improvement works at North Lodge Park.

Cromer’s clifftop gardens (Image: Archant)

Only two out of a total of eight Norfolk bids were accepted - £24m for new bus and cycle rates and historic gates in King's Lynn and £20m for the regeneration of Great Yarmouth's North Quay.