Green Ipswich set to get more protection
Carole Jones, Planning portfolio-holder, wants Ipswich be a healthy town, a green town and a wildlife-friendly town. - Credit: Su Anderson
It’s already been recognised as one of the greenest boroughs in the country, now Ipswich is set to take more action to strengthen its environmental policies.
The network of “green corridors” and gardens linking the town’s parks and open spaces helped ensure the town was shortlisted in the annual awards by the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) for the second year running.
And this week the borough is set to adopt new planning rules aimed at ensuring its green policies are strengthened as new development comes forward.
The 518 hectares of parkland, open spaces and recreation areas in Ipswich is much more than would be expected from a town of its size according to the new planning guidance document that is expected to be endorsed by the borough’s executive this week.
If adopted, the plan will give added protection to wildlife-rich areas of the town and seek to ensure that future developments encourage nature.
What is particularly significant about Ipswich is the number of different habitats within the town.
The Orwell Estuary is an internationally-recognised “Ramsar” wetland site because of its value for birds and the borough also has three Sites of Special Scientific Interest, 20 County Wildlife Sites and nine Local Nature Reserves.
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Carole Jones, planning portfolio-holder at the borough, said: “Parks and open spaces – as well as sports and recreation sites – are a key part of what makes Ipswich such a lovely place to live and work in.
“We are blessed with more parks per population than any similar town or city I know and we are determined to manage them to ensure future provision for recreation and wildlife diversity.
“We want to be a healthy town, a green town and a wildlife-friendly town – and that is why I hope my colleagues on executive committee adopt these latest planning documents.”
