PROPOSALS to build two new fire stations in Ipswich have been thrown into doubt today after they were rejected twice.

PROPOSALS to build two new fire stations in Ipswich have been thrown into doubt today after they were rejected twice.

Ipswich Borough Council planners have rejected proposals to build new stations at Colchester Road and on the junction of Yarmouth Road and Handford Road.

And in a separate meeting, the proposals, promoted by Suffolk County Council, were then thrown out by the authority's own development control committee.

The decision has thrown the future of the county's fire strategy for Ipswich in doubt and the county is now looking at alternative locations for a new station in the town.

The Colchester Road proposal was thrown out by both councils on the ground that the design was not good enough for such a prominent site.

Ipswich council's planning committee chairman John Cooper said: “No one argues that there should not be a fire station there - after all these years that's its accepted use.

“But the design was totally unacceptable. Although we were aware we were not able to turn it down we had hoped the county planners would listen to our views.”

The proposal for a new fire station at Yarmouth Road was deferred.

Mr Cooper said: “The traffic problems there are bad enough now, how would a fire station cope with that? And the fact that it was on a flood plain also goes against it. We didn't like the design either.”

County councillor Joanna Spicer, responsible for public protection, said: “We haven't decided whether to go ahead with any of these changes yet - but we will now need to look at alternative options for both the sites in Ipswich.

“We had hoped to bring the strategy to the council's cabinet in April, but that is looking rather less likely now.”

Weblink:

www.suffolk.gov.uk

n What should happen to Ipswich's fire stations? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk