Watton

So far in Watton:

• £75k grant funding to local centre businesses over last few years
• Over £50k investment in green assets and green spaces
• 2 businesses created through meanwhile programme, filling c. 100sqm shop space and creating 4 new jobs.  The businesses are Smokeybullz Grooming and Beestro.

Schemes coming up:

• £125k funding towards new Digital Creative Media Centre, which has supported training for over 50 residents / businesses in its current proof of concept phase 
• Work to create one of the UK's first Banking Hubs, initially at temporary site in Wayland House and shortly in a permanent home on the High Street
• Joint investment of almost £75k, including securing European funding, in bringing forward new Middle St. scheme for the Town Centre £15m bid for through recent funding rounds

Interesting facts about Watton

• Watton is situated 20 miles west of Norwich and is the smallest of  Brecklands five towns.
• Being held for more than 140 years, Wayland Show is one of Norfolk's oldest agricultural events.
• Wayland Wood near Watton, the alleged site of the 'Babes in the Wood' legend has a recorded history going back to the 10th century and has a rich mix of flora and fauna
• In the High Street there is an unusual clock tower, which dates from 1679 AD. This was erected after a fire destroyed much of the town in 1674, reputedly so that its bells could warn townsfolk should such a disaster strike again.

The Town Delivery Plan presents detailed evidence and recommendations for deliverable and impactful interventions that can be delivered  over the next ten years. These interventions  are designed to have a positive environmental, social and economic impact.

The plans present a robust evidence base and justification for action based on qualitative and quantitative research done by our professional consultants, Hatch and We Made That. They are the result of extensive desktop research and data gathering, as well as numerous stakeholder consultations and workshops, surveys, and engagement work with residents and businesses. They represent the ideas and ambitions of the people that live, work and trade in the town.

Partnership working was key to producing each of these plans. The council emphasised the need to bring together partners, planning and decision-making bodies, businesses, and residents for all stages of this process. The involvement of other partners in the delivery of the Plans will be key. To succeed and create real change, this project has recognised that it must bring stakeholders together.

Watton's Town Delivery Plan 2021-31 (PDF) [17MB] (opens new window)