The beautiful UK city set for huge change as it gets ready to build England's 'new Venice'

A "new Venice" could be built in one of the UK's most underrated cities in an ambitious quest to make it the "best place to live in England". Norwich is famed for its unique heritage and spirit, with more than 300 independent shops co-existing alongside huge chains such as John Lewis and a giant shopping centre.

Its higgeldy-piggeldy, cobbled streets score well below the national average for empty units, with Norwich also recently ranked the kindest city in the UK. However, the so-called "capital of East Anglia" is also witnessing some of the country's largest redevelopment projects, including a masterplan to build an entire new quarter of the city. Dubbed East Norwich, developers plan to nestle 3,500 new homes between the picturesque River Wensum and River Ware - all a 15-minute walk from the historic city centre.

One of the sites where homes would be built is the Carrow Works, where Colman's Mustard was made for 160 years after being invented in the nearby village of Stoke Holy Cross.

The vision is in its early stages, with an East Norwich Delivery Board formed in 2022 comprising the area's local councils and Homes England.

However, if it succeeds, it is hoped that it will create 4,000 new jobs to bolster Norwich's already thriving economy - with the city council saying it "could become Norfolk's new Venice".

The local authority adds: "East Norwich is more than just a development site - it's a bold vision for the future of our city."

It describes it as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform over 50 hectares of underused land into one of Europe's most liveable neighbourhoods".

As well as redeveloping the former Colman's site, which closed in 2020, East Norwich would also be built on the nearby Deal Ground, May Gurney and Utilities sites.

Carli Harper, Norwich City Council's cabinet member for finance and major projects, said East Norwich "has the potential to become a whole new quarter of the city".

Stefan Gurney, executive director of Norwich Business Improvement District in the city centre, said it was one of the largest city development projects in East Anglia.

"It's like adding an edge to a city," he explained. He likened it to a major new company like Aviva, the Norwich-based insurance company, moving in.

Other regeneration works in Norwich include the demolition of the eyesore Anglia Square shopping centre to create 1,100 new homes and 8,000sq m of leisure, retail and community space.

The 1960s site has been described as a "pretty ugly, brutalist shopping centre" that became abandoned by shoppers and traders.

A temporary "boxpark" like the one in London's Shoreditch has already got 500 businesses fighting over 83 units. Ms Harper said there are hopes the revamp will "create an even more thriving and bustling economy" in Norwich by the time it is due to be completed in eight years.