A major traffic shake-up in Great Yarmouth's town centre will see the current one-way system reversed and extended to create a loop around a revamped St George's Chapel, and more pedestrianisation.

A major traffic shake-up in Great Yarmouth's town centre will see the current one-way system reversed and extended to create a loop around a revamped St George's Chapel, and more pedestrianisation.

The �2m scheme is part of big plans to transform the former theatre and create a restaurant-ringed piazza with more paving to cut the dominance of cars.

People living close to the building were due to receive letters yesterday asking for their say on revised plans which include the total pedestrianisation of St Georges Plain and the creation a one-way anti-clockwise system around King Street and Deneside.

The changes are aimed at making the most of the Chapel and its setting, linking with other areas of the town and with the “green corridor” from seaside to quayside.

The proposals also hope to reduce the conflict between cars and buses at the top end of Regent Road by flowing traffic in the same direction, and where there is not total pedestrianisation there will be more paving to increase footfall to retail areas like Victoria Arcade.

The loss of 90-minute parking in St Georges Plain will be offset by the creation of parking bays along the one-way system.

The Chapel is at the heart of a �8.5m regeneration and restoration project funded through the Government's Sea Change project, the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, the East of England Development Agency, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Norfolk County Council.

Under the scheme it will be set in a new continental-style square with a separate pavilion for box office, toilets, caf� and bar that will become a new focus for cultural and leisure activities.

Barry Coleman, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: “The original proposals were good, but there is no doubt in my mind that these are even better. The space created to the south of the Chapel promises to be a superb new outdoor focus for all kinds of activities associated with the new pavilion.

“I am confident that these proposals will provide the setting that St George's Chapel deserves, and create a new cultural hub for Great Yarmouth. Our first round of consultation has prompted these improvements, and I hope that people will take the opportunity to come along to the meetings (details below) and look at the latest plans so that we can benefit from their comments when we start work, hopefully in October.”

The consultation period started yesterday when letters were due to be delivered to residents affected by the proposals.

There will be three opportunities for local people to come and find out more about the plans: two drop-in sessions at the Comeunity Neighbourhood Centre on King Street on August 14 and 21 from 1pm to 4pm and an early evening meeting at Christchurch on King Street on August 26 5pm - 8pm. Plans will be on display at the Neighbourhood Centre office for the duration of the consultation period.

People are invited to make their views on the plans known within the consultation period to Project Engineer David Wardale, by email to david.wardale@norfolk.gov.uk, by phone on 01603 223259 or by post to: David Wardale, Planning and Transportation, Norfolk County Council, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2DH.

Traffic orders for highway changes, taking account of consultation comments, will then be advertised in September, with a view to the highway work starting in early October for completion, excluding the paving works surrounding the Chapel, by summer 2010.

Log on to our website www.yarmouthmercury24.co.uk for more before and after pictures of the Chapel.