Development

BUILDING chiefs in Ipswich have given a thumbs down to a proposed major development on Ipswich Waterfront, it emerged today.

Developers London Provincial and Overseas Limited are bidding to get approval for Ransomes Wharf featuring 190 homes, a hotel and health club.

The application is due to go before Ipswich planning chiefs on Wednesday but has been recommended for refusal by officers.

A report on the application, prepared by planning officers, said: “The site is in a prominent waterfront location adjacent to the historic wet dock. It is reasonable to expect a coherent design approach for the buildings that employs a common palette of materials that reflect the quayside context.

“While each block works as an identifiable mass, their architectural expression is weak and not of an appropriate quality for this waterfront site.”

It goes on to add that the buildings “fail to demonstrate a compelling design rationale” and the development “lacks integrity”.

The scheme, which would be constructed on the former Ransomes site between Neptune Marina and the planned University College Suffolk complex, is a revision of an earlier application made in 2005.

The revised proposals would see the highest part of the complex three storeys lower as well as a big reduction in the number of apartments.

The plans are for two residential towers located to the western quayside edge of the site while a third tower, a four-star hotel, would be situated to the eastern side of the site adjacent to the health club.

The lower floors of the blocks are being earmarked for commercial and retail units.

Is there a need for more homes on the Waterfront? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk