2002
Norwich City Council announces 'Whitlingham Bridges and Links' project to link the city with Whitlingham Park by cycle/ pedestrian paths and bridges.
Norwich Rivers Heritage Group (NRHG) is set up, with City Council encouragement. Its aims: to research the area, to promote public interest and to seek the views of Norwich citizens through putting on a travelling exhibition.
2003-2005
NRHG wins grants from the Local Heritage Initiative, Water Cities International and other sources. The group carries out research in Norwich and The Netherlands. It publishes a booklet and mounts a mobile River Gateway exhibition, shown widely in the city, and a children's art exhibition on a 'river' theme. It wins strong support for its proposals from exhibition visitors. The document Report on the River Gateway Project, with detailed proposals for the development of the area, is published and sent to the City Council in 2005.
2006
East of England Development Agency (EEDA) commissions Buro Happold, Fluid and Price Waterhouse Coopers to consult the public, to study the area from environmental, economic and transport viewpoints, and to present a report to form the basis for a Masterplan.
Two rounds of consultation were carried out, with exhibitions in The Forum and in locations close to the sites in question, plus presentations to representatives of local bodies.
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January 2007
A draft report from the consultants was submitted to Greater Norwich Development Partnership (GNDP) Directors Group, comprising Norwich City Council, Broadland District Council, South Norfolk District Council, Norfolk County Council and The Broads Authority.
March 2007
A 'position statement' was issued on behalf of GNDP. They "feel that the study does not deliver a masterplan that sets out the strategic framework capable of transforming the sites, but delivers an 'Initial Options Assessment' which will allow the next stage of work to move forward." From now on the City Council will manage the process; the intention is to appoint a Project Manager who will commission any further work required to "further assess the wider traffic impact, the flood risk, contamination issues and viability issues." When these are complete, the Project Manager will "pull together all the information to create a Supplementary Planning Document."
Photograph: Mike Page
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