East Suffolk Council
New town centre home for Council’s Customer Services ahead of Cultural Quarter redevelopment
Agreement has been reached to relocate East Suffolk Council’s customer services facility as part of plans to transform an area of Lowestoft into a thriving Cultural Quarter.
The relocation of this facility from the Marina to Lowestoft Library was approved by East Suffolk Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 7 May ensuring an important front-facing reception and core contact centre presence is retained in the town.
It will also build on the already productive working relationship with Suffolk Libraries – the charity running libraries on behalf of Suffolk County Council since 2011.
The Cultural Quarter is one of five major transformational regeneration projects made possible by a successful application for £24.9m from the Government’s Towns Fund in 2020. This major project will see redevelopment of the Marina Centre and former Battery Green multi-storey car park into a new cultural and community hub, with studio space for creative businesses, a leisure complex and restaurant.
Cllr Paul Ashton, East Suffolk Council's Cabinet member for Assets and Corporate Services, said:
“We’re committed to providing a walk-in capability across the district, and it’s important that we maintain a front-facing customer services desk for the public to use while work commences on the Cultural Quarter development.
“We considered several alternative locations, including outside the town centre; however Lowestoft Library offers a cost-effective opportunity for the service in the heart of East Suffolk’s largest town.”
Bruce Leeke, CEO of Suffolk Libraries, said:
“This move will offer the local community an enhanced service that combines the diversity of the Suffolk Libraries offer alongside information and advice provided by East Suffolk Council.
“Similar partnerships involving co-located services in our libraries have worked well, bringing new people to the library and raising awareness of the huge range of services we offer.”
Relocation to the Library will now take place ahead of demolition works which will begin in September.
Public access for customers is provided from locations across East Suffolk, including libraries in Aldeburgh, Felixstowe, Halesworth, Leiston, Saxmundham and Woodbridge. Pre-bookable appointments are available for all locations, and customers can contact the Customer Service team on 0333 016 2000 for advice and to book an appointment.
People can also access many Council services quickly and easily online.
The Cultural Quarter is one of five Town Deal projects to receive final approval from the Government in July 2022 and which formed part of a Town Investment Plan, developed in partnership with the Lowestoft Place Board, setting out Lowestoft’s ambitions, opportunities and challenges over the next 10 years.