Plans for 13 new homes in Cullingham Road in Ipswich have been refused by the borough council. 

It was proposed in May to demolish several buildings on land known as the Old Boatyard in Cullingham Road, adjacent to the River Gipping.

The plans suggested creating 13 homes on the site. 

Eight of these homes would have three bedrooms, while the remaining five would have been two-bedroom homes. The plans were submitted to the council for consideration by Stone Crest Homes Ltd.  

A planning statement prepared by the Ipswich-based Vision Design & Planning Consultants explained that the site currently has two commercial buildings which have historically been used as a boatyard, but have been put to a variety of uses in recent years.  

The statement went on to say that significant “greening” of the site would take place, and that the townscape would be enhanced through the removal of “unattractive buildings” and the introduction of “high quality built form and landscaping”. 

A similar application to create 14 homes on the site was submitted by Stone Crest Homes Ltd in 2020, and was rejected by the council that December. At the time, the council raised concerns over the drainage of surface water, given the site’s close proximity to the River Gipping. 

These latest plans, too, were rejected by Ipswich Borough Council on Tuesday.  

In a notice explaining its decision, the council explained that the site is in an area at risk of flooding, and that there are existing flood defences both within and adjacent to the site. It said that “inadequate details” regarding flood defences and their on-going maintenance had been submitted. 

It also raised concerns over sewage works, and the proposal to use the existing sewer for surface water drainage.