King Street cultural quarter for Norwich set up at meeting

The group, known as the King Street Cultural Quarter, will aim to protect, support and develop the community and its culture, and promote tourism.

One of its main aims will be to spruce up the area between King Street and the river Wensum, known as the St Anne's Wharf development, which has become a wasteland after the company behind the project to build hundreds of homes and office buildings on the site went into administration.

The meeting at Dragon Hall in King Street was told by Richard Southwood, from a residents' group called the 5th quarter, which was set up to create community gardens in the area, that it wanted to put 'something pleasant' on the site.

Meanwhile, Natasha Harlow, project manager of the King Street Community Voices two-year lottery project, said they wanted to host a street party for next year's Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and she also suggested that the King Street festival could be revived.

Resident Geoff Pritchard said that money was available from Defra for trees to be planted in King Street. And Kieran Yates, transport planner from Norwich City Council, told the meeting that signage could be put up at the train station and by the Lady Julian bridge to promote the area. He said: 'We have got �15,000 surplus from the Lady Julian Bridge project to fund most of the signs.'

Membership of the group is open to any resident of the area, representatives of organisations based in the area, or any parties with an interest in the area.

The group will be managed by an executive committee comprising a maximum of 20 officers, and will meet a minimum of four times a year. The first meeting of the committee will be at 6pm on November 9 at Dragon Hall.

For more information visit the www.kingst.co.uk.

Are you trying to set up a community project in your area? Call reporter David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk.