Norfolk County Council

The Gaywood Valley Sustainable Urban Fringes (SURF) project

The Gaywood Valley SURF project seeks to unlock the potential of the River Gaywood valley to the east of King's Lynn in Norfolk as a natural environmental amenity.

This will be achieved by improving access to green open spaces and linking the town centre and new development areas to the countryside around King's Lynn delivering benefits for the health, well being and economy of the local community in the urban fringes of the town.

The project will bring opportunities for: social cohesion; environmental education; training and volunteering; the local economy; leisure and recreation. Further benefits will be achieved through the management of wildlife habitats associated with the River Gaywood and will include improved flood-risk management and opportunities for wildlife through habitat creation and enhancement. Through an integrated approach to the management of land, water and living resources – an ecosystems services approach – the project will leave a sustainable legacy for the people of King's Lynn.

The King's Lynn Urban Fringe

The urban and rural fringe of King's Lynn has a poor relationship with the town's historic central core and with the broader countryside which surrounds it.North Lynn and Fairstead wards of King's Lynn are in the top 10 most deprived areas of Norfolk. The area suffers from limited educational opportunities, poor health, social exclusion and declining investment.11,000 new homes will be built in King's Lynn by 2020.The focus for this expansion will be in the urban and rural fringe of the town.

The River Gaywood

The River Gaywood is short chalk river some 13km in length that rises from springs near Derby Fen to the east of King's Lynn into the Great Ouse at Boal Quay. The river discharges into the Great Ouse at King's Lynn through a tidal flap, where it experiences tidal influences, and then into the North Sea through The Wash estuary. It's mid to lower reaches run through urban areas.

The village of Gaywood – now a suburb of King's Lynn - was once a rural community in its own right, with almshouses (in the 13^th century), church (dating from the 14^th century), a medieval moated bishop's palace and large areas of common land. During the 16^th Century, the area was one of the least populated in Norfolk, with much of the land turned over to sheep.

The upper reaches of the Gaywood Valley encompass a number of important Biodiversity Action Plan habitats including; chalk river, heathland and fen.A number of designated nature conservation sites including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and County Wildlife Sites (CWS) form an integral part of the valley fen system.

The Gaywood valley features in the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership ecological network map for the west of the county (see www.norfolkbiodiversity.org/pdf/west%20Norfolk%20ecological%20network%20map.doc) which shows existing habitat and landscape areas as well as potential areas for enhancement and the provision of wildlife corridors.

Project delivery:

With community involvement and ownership at its heart, the project will be delivered through 5 work areas under direction of a Joint Advisory Panel (JAP) and with the engagement of an Advisory Group and Wider Stakeholder Forum.

Work areas:

1. Project Development and Ecosystems Services Evaluation

2. Communication

3. Land and River catchment management

4. Community Engagement

5. Learning and skills

This will be done through:

Strengthening and expanding the SURF partnership. Following stakeholder engagement, a Vision and Delivery Plan for the Gaywood Valley will be developed, taking account of: the King's Lynn Green Infrastructure master plan; 'Econet' opportunities to link valuable wildlife habitats ; the Local Development Framework growth strategy for the town (link -http://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=24482) and the aspirations of the local neighbourhoods and farming communities.

Opportunities for communication will be sought across the project. Mechanisms such as signing and interpretation, the development of a website 'forum', and community events will all play an important role.An innovative map-based Geographical Information System (GIS) virtual reality film showing landscape, cultural and historical interpretation of the site will be commissioned.

Land and River Catchment Management will seek to improve access to the Gaywood Valley creating enhanced trails and directional waymarking.The potential of Higher Level Stewardship to deliver gains for green infrastructure in urban fringes will be explored, in addition to other funding mechanisms for habitat creation such as the Woodland Grant Scheme.

Community Engagement will focus on connecting local urban communities with their local countryside. Local people of all age groups will be involved in creating and enhancing green space. Opportunities for economic regeneration will be sought.

Formal and informal educational opportunities will be developed for local learning. Curriculum opportunities such as understanding and managing local climate change impacts; the importance of ecological networks for the welfare of local biodiversity; and valuing the green environment for healthy recreation, will developed.