A major new housing development set to transform a derelict part of Ipswich Waterfront - which was due to open at the weekend - has been put back due to the coronavirus crisis.
Persimmon Homes had been due to launch Griffin Wharf, a collection of 113 apartments and three-bedroom townhouses next to Ipswich Marina and overlooking the River Orwell.
The multi-million pound development has reportedly had widespread interest from potential buyers, with the first phase of 36 town houses being built in Discovery Avenue.
However the housebuilder said the opening this weekend “will now be postponed until later this year” in what the firm described as “the latest project to be disrupted by the current closedown of public events”.
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Lucy Woodhall, sales director for Persimmon Homes Suffolk, said: “Naturally we are disappointed that we are unable to launch Griffin Wharf this week, but the safety of our customers and staff is an absolute priority.
“The development had already attracted high levels of interest, as it represents the transformation of a riverside site, bringing much-needed new homes to the area.
“Initial construction works have started on site and will fully resume as soon as it is safe for our team to do so.”
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Persimmon Homes is also contributing £128,000 to improve youth facilities in the area as part of the development.
The site has a long-running history, after Persimmon Homes was originally granted outline permission to develop the whole of Griffin Wharf in 2005 with 434 homes.
However the recession which followed in the later years of that decade meant the project stalled, leaving an area of derelict land - much to the frustration of neighbouring residents.
At the time, Persimmon Homes said: “The redevelopment of the eastern part of the site stalled, principally because of development viability and the impact of the oversupply of apartments in this part of Ipswich.”
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