REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMER JELD WEN FACTORY SITE
WAVENEY DRIVE, LOWESTOFT
Why Here?
The Site
The Former Jeld Wen Factory Site is within the ownership of Statuslist Ltd and extends to a total of 14.3 hectares / 35.3 acres of previously developed (brownfield) land, close to the centre of Lowestoft.
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The existing industrial buildings and sheds were mostly constructed in the 1960s/1970s and predominantly used for the storage of timber, together with the manufacture and distribution of doors and windows. Boulton and Paul Ltd were the previous tenants on the site until 2010 when Jeld Wen announced it was closing the factory. The site has been vacant ever since and increasingly falling into disrepair.
Planning Context
The site is allocated for development within the East Suffolk Council Local Plan (2019) and comprises one part of the wider Kirkley Waterfront and Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood as shown below.
The site in context with the wider allocation
The vision for the allocation is to deliver comprehensive regeneration and positive transformational change to this part of the town to create a new vibrant, mixed-use and inclusive community within a high-quality environment, which also maximises the opportunities presented by the waterfront, particularly to support the growing offshore renewable energy industries in the area.
Wider Context
The site and surrounding area have been subject to significant investment and infrastructure works as part of the wider regeneration aspirations for the town.
A Development Consent Order Application was granted in April 2020 for the Lake Lothing Third Crossing (the Gull Wing Bridge), which is currently under construction and due for completion in 2024. As part of the construction of the Gull Wing Bridge, a new access road (Colin Law Way) and associated drainage basin has recently been constructed and which required the demolition of four industrial buildings within the site as shown below.
A Transport Works Act Order Application was also submitted to Government in October 2023 for the Lowestoft Tidal Barrier to the east of the site as part of the Lowestoft Flood Risk Management Project – although this is currently on hold.
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To the west of the site, Planning Permission was granted in August 2015 on the adjoining Brooke Peninsula site for mixed-use development of up to 850 new homes and supporting land uses and infrastructure and also for 300 new homes on the Former Sanyo Factory site in January 2016.
The plan below shows the Former Jeld Wen Factory site in the context of these surrounding recent developments.
