Lowestoft Third River Crossing Economic Impact

Question: What economic opportunities does a new bridge provide?

The economic prospects of Lowestoft had become seriously constrained by the capacity of its two road crossings over the inner harbour leading to congestion in the town centre and holding-back harbour side employment and housing development. Suffolk County Council needed economic evidence to support their plans for a third harbour crossing in the town to ease local congestion and open up new economic opportunities for growth.

Solution: an evidence base to open funding opportunities

Regeneris was appointed to assess the scale and nature of the local economic growth expected to emerge from a third harbour crossing. We assessed the impacts of a third crossing could have on regeneration, business growth and job creation. Our team worked closely with the County Council, major local businesses and other local stakeholders to fully understand how local development opportunities around the harbour, other industrial areas and the town centre were being constrained. We also examined developments linked specifically to the new crossing and opportunities for the town to market itself more effectively to inward investors, especially in the offshore energy sector.

Impact: stages unlocked towards £70m of investment

Our findings helped to inform the outline business case for the third harbour crossing. Our work has helped unlock further funding from Department for Transport for the £70m capital investment sought from central government.