UEA boardwalk project opens community workshops after Lottery funding
Residents are being invited to help shape the return of the boardwalk beside the River Yare after Lottery funding was secured for a community engagement programme. The work sits alongside the planned replacement of a 400-metre route at the University of East Anglia, where construction is due to begin soon and reopening is planned for spring 2027.
Three workshops planned
The programme begins with three workshops for people from neighbouring communities, including those who have not previously visited the boardwalk. The sessions are intended to gather views before the restored route reopens.
- Friday 30 October, from 10am to midday, at Eaton Park Community Centre on South Park Avenue.
- Saturday 31 October, from 11am to 1pm, at West Earlham Community Centre on Wilberforce Road.
- Wednesday 4 November, from 2pm to 4pm, at The Willow Centre on Willowcroft Way.
The engagement programme is a partnership between the university and the Yare Valley Society. It is focused on how people use the route and what could help a wider range of local residents discover it once the physical work is complete.
What the new funding will support
Feedback from the workshops will inform new signage and interpretation panels around the boardwalk, as well as promotional material for distribution locally. The funding will also support educational resources, including a video about the boardwalk.
A reopening event is planned for spring 2027, followed by a programme of community events during the summer. Those activities are separate from the main construction project. The new grant is for engagement, interpretation and outreach, rather than an announcement of additional money for the replacement structure itself.
A route under restoration
The project will replace a 400-metre section of boardwalk along the Yare Valley with an accessible, sustainable and wildlife-sensitive walkway. The existing boardwalk has been closed since January 2024 because of degradation and wear. It forms part of a route used by people travelling between Eaton and Cringleford, the university, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Earlham Park.
Plans for the replacement include widening the path from one metre to 1.5 metres where space allows, adding regular passing places and providing extra seating. The new structure is designed to use recycled composite materials and to require relatively little maintenance. The wider scheme also includes improved wildlife interpretation, a reshaped small pond and a dipping platform for educational use.
Construction funding already in place
The main replacement scheme has an estimated cost of £439,708. Its funding package includes £260,899 from the Greater Norwich Growth Board’s Infrastructure Investment Fund and £64,964 from a developer planning obligation, alongside university commitments, in-kind resources and community donations. Norwich City Council is sponsoring the project.
Earlier plans set out an autumn 2026 start on site to reduce disturbance during the bird nesting season. The current update says construction is due to start soon, with the route expected to reopen in spring 2027. That date remains a target while the work is still ahead.
How residents can take part
The workshops give local people a chance to contribute practical ideas for the information, educational material and launch activities that will accompany the restored boardwalk. The physical route is not yet open, but the engagement programme begins before construction, allowing the community contribution to be built into the visitor experience planned for 2027.
