Hunstanton: New homes plan for bus station abandoned

Planning permission was agreed for homes, shops and a new library on the site of the existing library and bus station in Hunstanton two years ago.

Now West Norfolk council, which was behind the plan, says changes in building and fire regulations, along with rising costs due to the pandemic, have made the site on Westgate unviable for building homes on.

The former library, which has now been demolished and the bus station at Hunstanton (Image: Chris Bishop)

Alternative plans have now been drawn up for a scaled-down development which includes a new library and travel interchange.

Richard Blunt, the borough council’s cabinet member for regeneration and development, said: “Given the impact of external factors on this site, which have made it unviable to build homes on it, it is good to see a new proposal, which will have benefits both for Hunstanton and the north of the borough generally."

The original proposal included 47 flats, a new library and retail units.

Changes in building regulations, announced while the planning application was being considered, would have required a commercial-grade sprinkler system to be installed, which was not required when the application was made.

An alternative proposal being looked at for the site of the former library and bus station in Hunstanton (Image: Norfolk County Council)

Further changes, this time to fire regulations, were announced after the scheme was approved.

Officers explored an extensive range of options for how the development could be amended to accommodate these changes but with changing market conditions, increasing construction costs caused by the pandemic and rising inflation, it became apparent that none of these options could viably be developed in a reasonable timeframe.

Norfolk County Council wants to improve the bus station, which is the fourth-busiest in Norfolk, to encourage people to use public transport.

An alternative proposal being looked at for the site of the former library and bus station in Hunstanton (Image: Norfolk County Council)

It also wants to replace the library, which is currently in a temporary location on Valentine Road, and the town's tourist information centre, which closed four years ago.

West Norfolk council said it is also considering how housing need in Hunstanton can be met in future and how it can pursue development opportunities for the town more generally.