Find out about our plans for Morston Quay, which will provide modern, accessible toilet facilities, a more easily accessible welcome area for visitors, and much-needed welfare facilities for the National Trust staff and volunteers who work there.
Morston Quay is a place that is held in special affection by the local community and visitors alike - from seal spotters boarding boat trips to Blakeney Point, to walkers taking in spectacular views across the saltmarshes, to nature lovers and bird spotters looking out for the amazing wildlife of the north Norfolk coast.
Over 100,000 people visit Morston Quay every year by car. Many more arrive on foot, via the coast path, as well as the Coast Hopper bus service.
There has been minimal development of the Morston Quay site in recent years. We recognise that this is precisely what people value about it – the place has a traditional, unspoilt, non-commercial feel. These are all things we value about Morston Quay too.
There are some features of the site which don’t meet the standards of accessibility, visitor welcome, and staff/volunteer welfare that we should be providing.
In particular, the existing facilities do not provide visitors to Morston Quay with adequate and accessible toilets. These facilities, located in a temporary building, consist of 2 urinals, 1 male toilet and 3 female toilets; they are simply not fit for purpose for a place that has more than 100,000 visitors per year.
Additionally, the location of our visitor welcome, in the wooden Lookout Building, is not easy to access for wheelchair users.
The layout of the site as a whole, from the positioning of our visitor welcome, to the layout of the car park, and location of the car park ticket machine, is not as clear as it could be. This lack of clear site orientation is a safety concern (with pedestrians taking various routes across the car park to reach the facilities on site) and it also limits our ability to welcome visitors and help them get the most out of their visit.
Finally, the current facilities have no desk spaces for staff to carry out aspects of their duties that need this, and no indoor space for staff and volunteers to take rest breaks.
Our aim for the proposed new facilities is that they will give all visitors to Morston Quay a more enjoyable and welcoming experience, whilst providing a more suitable working environment for our staff and volunteers.
There will be easier parking, accessible toilet facilities, and an improved information point where National Trust staff can inspire visitors to learn more about, and help us care for, Morston Quay. We are not looking to make any structural changes to the existing lookout building.
We are proposing to build a single storey building, comprising replacement toilets, a new visitor welcome point, and a space for staff and volunteer welfare. The specification for the toilets includes a changing places facility fitted with a bench and hoist, with space for the person using the facilities, a wheelchair, and up to 2 carers.
The proposed new building would be situated on the eastern boundary of the site, replacing the two temporary buildings that are currently there (one of which houses the existing toilet facilities). It will measure 25.9m in length, 5.4m to 8.4m in width, with a maximum roof height of 3.4m.
The design features external materials comprising natural weathered timber cladding, with a brick plinth at low level, and a sedum monopitch roof where living roof plants will add to the biodiversity of the site.
Important sustainability features have been incorporated into the design, including the use of an air source heat pump and solar panels on the building.
To ensure all visitors can access the new building with ease, and make the most of their visit to Morston Quay, we are also proposing:
Adding to the existing paths to safely connect all the buildings on site without the need to cross the car park, following a route that incorporates views across the marshes. At the same time, we will upgrade the paths to be accessible for wheelchairs through resurfacing, regrading levels, and providing handrails where required.
Improving the car park by adding new drainage, resurfacing with gravel, and organising the existing layout and demarcating parking spaces, with accessible parking spaces located close to the new building with wheelchair-suitable surfacing up to the building.
A car parking ticket machine would be relocated at the new visitor welcome building and a new visual crossing provided to improve safety for pedestrians.
Providing a cycle parking area next to the new building, encouraging sustainable travel to Morston Quay.
Recladding the original brick toilet building so that it can be used as a food and beverage storage space for the café. Repurposing the building in this way, rather than demolishing it, means less carbon being used in the development as a whole. Having this increased storage space would also cut the number of food deliveries to the site each week, thereby helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the café.
Nature conservation and preserving the special qualities of the places we care for are fundamental values of the National Trust. We have taken great care to ensure that these plans do not conflict with our duties to conserve the natural character and conservation value of the intertidal mudflats and saltmarshes at Morston Quay.
For example, the screening provided by the existing hedge on the eastern edge of the site, coupled with the sloped roof design, will ensure that the new building is not visible from the Norfolk Coast Path. The new building has also been designed with minimal external mounted lighting so that it will not be a source of light pollution and will be fully compliant with dark skies policies.
The comprehensive Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment shows that there will be no adverse effects to the character, appearance and special qualities of the Open Coastal Marshes or the North Norfolk National landscape or to the visual experience of users of the Coast Path.
The full planning application will be available to view, and comment on, through the North Norfolk District Council website. You can also view the plans in person at our upcoming community drop-in event on Friday 26th July.
September 2024
We are carefully reviewing all comments received on our planning application for improved visitor facilities at Morston Quay. Due consideration will be given to the detailed points that have been raised by statutory consultees, members of the local community, National Trust members, and others. We will confirm our next steps with the planning application once we have completed this process.
