TOWN chiefs in Ipswich have rejected a proposed major development on Ipswich Waterfront for not looking swish enough.

TOWN chiefs in Ipswich have rejected a proposed major development on Ipswich Waterfront for not looking swish enough.

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

However the application fell down because members of Ipswich Borough Council's planning committee deemed the design as not up to the same standard as other developments on the Waterfront.

John Cooper, chair of the borough's planning and development committee, said he expects the developers to come back with revised proposals as the general concept is deemed acceptable.

He said: “The general plan was felt to be quite satisfactory.

“The main problem the committee and officers had was they didn't feel it quite came up to the same design quality as the rest of the Waterfront.

“The hotel building had a whole wall of multi-coloured panels which I didn't think went down terribly well.

“It wasn't quite felt it had enough style to match what's quite an attractive development on the rest of the Waterfront.”

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

That application was altered following concerns about the height and layout of the design.

Original designs were for a single large square structure with a central courtyard feature with part of the development some 16 storeys high featuring more than 300 apartments.

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

The plans were 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.

Emphasis was also been placed on a substantial amount of public open space in the centre of the development while parking would be provided by two basement levels delivering 400 spaces plus bicycle and motor bike storage.

A spokesman for London Provincial and Overseas was unavailable for comment.

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