A used car dealership in Great Yarmouth is to be bought then demolished to make way for a river crossing.
South Denes Car and 4×4 Centre and all its stock is to be bought by Norfolk County Council as it’s in the way of the Third River Crossing over the Yare, reports the Eastern Daily Press.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council is the landowner but business operator Cecil Spinks has the leasehold, which doesn’t run out for another 43 years, and will be in line for compensation as well.
Compulsory purchase orders will be used to buy the business. The sum being paid has been kept confidential, but the council will be able to recoup some of the cost by selling the vehicles.
The Tory-led county council agreed to the purchase yesterday (Feb 1), with the Eastern Daily Press quoting commercial services and asset management cabinet member Greg Peck as saying it needed to make the decision because of the number of years left on the lease.
Had there been fewer than 20 years, the decision could have been handled by council officers under delegated powers.
The land will be mainly public highway, with areas deemed unnecessary for the crossing staying with the borough council and made available to it after the £121m bridge is built.
Building work is due to start soon with the aim of opening the bridge to traffic by early 2023.
Main image: Google Street View
