The grounds of a former DVD manufacturer in Ipswich may soon become a bus depot. 

Sizewell C has applied to Ipswich Borough Council to convert the grounds of Cinram in Ransomes Europark into a bus depot. 

The application states that they would only use the front forecourt, and not the factory itself for 24 months where they would install a temporary refilling facility and a maintenance building. 

The buses at this depot will act as a shuttle service between Ipswich and the nuclear station that is nearly a 45-minute drive away in Leiston.

The site was recently awarded a nuclear licence, a decision that angered campaigners who feel there are outstanding safety concerns at the site.

The buses would act as a shuttle between Ipswich and the nuclear stationThe buses would act as a shuttle between Ipswich and the nuclear station (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The bus depot would be on what used to be the parking lot of Cinram Operations Ltd, a multi-nation Blu-ray and DVD manufacturer.

But the site closed in September 2016 as the industry shrank, with much of its contents being sold off for cheap. 

The grounds were then used as a depot for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) till 2022 and have been left abandoned ever since. 

Sizewell C spokesperson: “We’ve got exciting plans for hydrogen buses at Sizewell C. In August, we’ll be taking on a pilot fleet of four hydrogen buses, and we’ve put in a planning application to open a bus depot at Ransomes Industrial Estate in Ipswich, where we’ll park, maintain, and refuel this small pilot fleet for six months.

“Our aim is that, during the construction period of Sizewell C, hydrogen-powered buses will transport the team to where it needs to be with zero tailpipe emissions. If this small pilot is successful, we’ll be looking to purchase a fleet of up to 150 hydrogen-powered buses.

"That would be a great achievement: not only would it reduce our emissions during construction, showcasing clean, green buses for Suffolk, but a hydrogen fleet of that size could deliver hundreds of new jobs for drivers, technicians, and support staff in the area, and help kickstart the hydrogen economy across Suffolk.”