The creation of a new 'green' depot on the grounds of a former Ipswich metal works has been given more than £18m in funding.

Ipswich Borough Council’s executive has allocated £18.2m to convert the former Lebronze Alloys site, in Hadleigh Road/New Way, to become a hub for its council waste, street cleaning and housing maintenance teams.

The depot, which is earmarked to open in September 2023, will include electric vehicle charging points, a dedicated vehicle maintenance unit and carbon neutral main building.

It is hoped a separate entrance and exit provision can be created, with the council confirming it would also include a bulk fuel tank that could accommodate hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel capabilities if it opts to go down that route for its refuse fleet.

Phil Smart, Labour portfolio holder for the environment, said: “This is a very exciting time for the council’s operations, to be investing in a new depot of its own.

“The plans are still subject to a little bit of tweaking and refinement, but it is very close.”

Following the agreement by the executive committee earlier this month means Handford Developments – an arms length company owned by the council – can submit a planning permission early in the new year, which must be agreed before construction work can begin.

Demolition work is expected to be completed by the end of February.

Lebronze Alloys UK, formerly known as Bolton Metals, took over the site in 2017 but production ceased in 2020.

Construction of alloy metals started at the Ipswich site, which has traded under a number of different names in its 82-year history, in 1938.

The creation of the green depot will mean the council will move out of its existing Gipping House base, which it has renting since its sale in 2012.

Future development is also possible as a 1.5-acre portion will be vacant, and could be developed for light industrial use in the future.

Conservative group leader Ian Fisher said: “It’s an exciting project and good to see."

Labour council leader David Ellesmere added: “It is a major investment but it is a big step along the route of things we need to do to ensure the council meets its carbon neutrality target by 2030.”