King's Lynn could see medieval gatehouse traffic rerouted

The 15th Century gatehouse has traffic flowing directly through it on the way into the town centre on the A148

A proposal to regenerate the area around a town's 15th Century gatehouse could see traffic go around it rather than through it.

Traffic currently drives through the South Gate in King's Lynn, but the proposal is one of several ideas being tabled for the Norfolk town.

Plans were presented to the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk.

There were said to be "varied views" about the road diversion around the South Gate itself.

A number of councillors on the Conservative-controlled authority's regeneration and development panel expressed concerns a possible loss of green space in the Southgates Park area.

'Levelling down'

There has been criticism that the area has too much motorised traffic and not enough provisions for cyclists and pedestrians.

Independent councillor Alexandra Kemp said: "If this project takes away any green space, it will be a levelling down project. I can't stress how important it is."

Consultants said they hoped financing of any development would come from funding arising from the government's Levelling Up white paper, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service

Tom Rudd, a consultant working on the proposals, said they did not want to produce plans that were either "too ambitious or not ambitious enough", although he noted that moving traffic away from the gatehouse would come with a "high price tag".

A restoration of the Grade I listed South Gate, believed to been constructed on the foundations of a previous gatehouse from the reign of Edward III, (ruled 1327-77), was completed in 1981 costing some £80,000.

By 1899, London Road had widened beyond the reach of the 15th Century gatehouse, meaning that only one lane of traffic ran beneath it.

The project team of urban design firm BDP, property advisors Montagu Evans and transport experts Urban Flow said councillors' comments had been noted and residents would be consulted on a draft version of the masterplan at some point between April and June.