Plans have been revealed to turn an empty former BT office block, close to Portman Road in the heart of Ipswich into 104 luxury apartments.

Ipswich Star: Plans have been revealed to turn former BT offices at Bibb Way, close to the Portman Road stadium of Ipswich Town FC, into new luxury apartments. Picture: DAVID VINCENTPlans have been revealed to turn former BT offices at Bibb Way, close to the Portman Road stadium of Ipswich Town FC, into new luxury apartments. Picture: DAVID VINCENT (Image: Archant)

A price tag of more than £3.75m has been put on the 4.3 acre site, in Bibb Way, between Sir Alf Ramsey Way and Handford Road, where there is also potential to add further new housing at ground level.

The whole site is on sale with Savills, with planning permission already in place to convert the the four-storey office block into apartments.

It has four floors each of 15,000 sq ft.

Some of the apartments here, only a short walk to Ipswich Town games, would have panoramic views towards the football ground over a nature area and Alderman Road recreation ground.

0ArU1RJ0-80ZTrChJ

From the football stadium, the office block is almost hidden behind mature trees.

Thomas Higgins, who is leading the sale for Savills said: "We have got a lot of interest in it already from regional and national developers."

Competitive bids have to be in by September 13, so the site could have changed hands by the end of the year.

It is in a great position for homeowners, only a short walk to amenities like the Wolsey Theatre while Bibb Way is a private road for access only.

There is pedestrian link to Handford Road, with a Lidl supermarket nearby and other shopping including Argos, Next and a soon-to-open Food Warehouse at Suffolk Retail Park.

Thomas Higgins added: "This is an important site in Ipswich that has significant development and community benefits

"It's a very exciting opportunity and we are expecting lots of interest. It has potential to be sold as a whole or in two separate parcels - with the office and data centre making up one lot and the car park the other.

"While the office site already has planning permission for more than 100 apartments, the data centre is classified as 'general industrial' so would need full planning permission for any change of use - as would the car park.

"There's a range of redevelopment possibilities but the vendor's initial proposals comprised housing schemes fronting Handford Road and on the car park close to Bibb Way."

Depending on planning permission a further 42 to 75 homes could be added on the site, with potential for another landmark apartment building or houses.

Across Ipswich town centre a number of prominent commercial buildings, from council offices to former nightclulbs, have been converted into homes for sale and to rent.

The former Ipwwich Co-op headquarters in Carr Street is being converted into homes at the upper levels above the shops while other scheme already completed include former Suffolk County Council offices in Rope Walk and the former First Floor Club night club in Tavern Street.