Restoration plans announced for abandoned Grade II listed building

Great Yarmouth Borough Council and their partners Historic England and Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust are stepping in to bring 145 King Street back from the brink. Its restoration will form part of the Great Yarmouth High Street Heritage Action Zone project which is delivering a £2.4m scheme putting heritage and the local community at the heart of revitalising the town centre.

The building, which is a major landmark in southern King St, is historically associated with St Georges Chapel and has been vacant for some time. After reaching a tipping point of rapid deterioration, the council served a repair notice back in 2019 which later led to a compulsory purchase order.

Once the legal processes have been completed, The council will transfer the distinctive building into the ownership of the Preservation Trust and, thanks to a budget of £800,000, one half from Historic England and the other from the trust through successful fundraising, it will be fully restored to bring it back to viable and sustainable use.

The Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust, which is responsible for restoring multiple buildings in the borough to their former glory, has plans to provide a number of residential units within the building, which will help meet the demand in the town for accommodation.

The Trust will carry out business planning for the scheme. Proposed uses include areas for rehearsal space, scenery-making, workshops, and storage for the adjacent St George's Theatre. The project will also include skills training and practical workshops on building techniques for historic buildings.

Cllr Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: "After being left vacant for several years now, it is great to hear that this Grade II listed building is joining the long list of ongoing regeneration projects within the borough."

Bernard Williamson, chairman of Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust, said: "145 King Street was identified by the trust as priority; to save the building from further degradation and to enhance the entrance to the southern end of King Street. It will become an important asset and has a robust business plan to ensure its long-term use and sustainability. We are grateful to the HAZ scheme for its support in funding this project."

Tony Calladine, East of England Regional Director, Historic England, said: "I'm delighted to see that this Grade II listed building will be restored and brought back into use. This fantastic project shows what the High Street Heritage Action Zone scheme is all about - partnership working to renovate historic buildings and bring them back into use as vital space for homes, businesses and training skills development."