Demolition for huge £24.3m Lowestoft development continuing

The ongoing partial demolition of the Battery Green car park in Lowestoft is gathering pace. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes) Nearing completion after more than 10 weeks of work, the scheme to partially demolish the former Battery Green multi-storey car park in Lowestoft is due to be completed by mid-November.

The ongoing partial demolition of the Battery Green car park in Lowestoft is gathering pace. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes) Having begun on July 30, demolition works were initially due to be finished by the end of September.

The ongoing partial demolition of the Battery Green car park in Lowestoft is gathering pace. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes) The site is being cleared to make way for the creation of a new cultural quarter, forming part of a huge £24.3m development that will see the urban area - previously dubbed a 'zombie town', with more than a quarter of stores boarded up - regenerated.

The Battery Green car park in Lowestoft - back in November 2022. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes) The new cultural quarter is also set to cover surrounding land on Marina Road, with three landmark buildings due to be installed.

The car park earlier this year ahead of demolition. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

It will feature a new restaurant catering for 80 people, a new cultural and community hub, a civic square, pop up bars and leisure sites.

An aerial shot of the car park before demolition Picture: Mike Page (Image: Mike Page) The project - which when complete will be known as Battery Green - has received £14.3m from the government's Towns Fund and £10m from East Suffolk Council's Capital Fund.

Ongoing partial demolition work at the former Battery Green car park in Lowestoft last month. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

It will also see the Marina Centre building's north wing demolished.

The Marina Centre in Lowestoft, which closed last month. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes) With the Marina Centre previously housing East Suffolk Council's face-to-face customer services facility, this closed last month to allow demolition to go ahead.

A conceptual image of the proposed Marina Centre for the Cultural Quarter project in Lowestoft. Picture: Chaplin Farrant (Image: Chaplin Farrant) It has temporarily moved to Riverside on Canning Road before moving permanently to Lowestoft Library at the end of the year.

A conceptual image of the proposed Public Realm at night for the Cultural Quarter project in Lowestoft. Picture: Chaplin Farrant (Image: Chaplin Farrant) The works to the Marina Centre are set to "provide a clear site in readiness for the main works to the Battery Green development," according to the council.

A conceptual image of the proposed Retained Car Park for the Cultural Quarter project in Lowestoft. Picture: Chaplin Farrant (Image: Chaplin Farrant) And with construction of the new site set to start during the winter and finish by spring 2026, a local company was this week awarded the contract to deliver the construction works for part of the Battery Green development.

A conceptual image of the proposed community hub for the Cultural Quarter project in Lowestoft. Picture: Chaplin Farrant (Image: Chaplin Farrant) P.J Spillings will carry out the construction works that will see the northern wing of the council’s former Marina customer services centre demolished alongside internal alterations to the rest of the building that will see "a repurposed space for the creative sector" created.

Signs for Lowestoft's Cultural Quarter as ongoing works continue at the former Battery Green car park in town. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes) The Battery Green development one of five transformational regeneration projects which received £24.9m from the Government’s Towns Fund in 2022.

'Next phase of this exciting development'

Tim Wilson, East Suffolk's cabinet member for economic development and regeneration, said: "We are pleased to award the construction contract for part of another major regeneration project in Lowestoft to a local business and are looking forward to seeing the next phase of this exciting development take shape.

Tim Wilson, East Suffolk council's cabinet member for economic development and regeneration. Picture: East Suffolk Council (Image: East Suffolk Council) "Along with other regeneration projects which are also underway across the town, Battery Green will bring new facilities into Lowestoft, attract more visitors and businesses to the area and enhance the town for the benefit of local residents."