MICHAEL Howard Homes, the company involved in a controversial scheme to revitalise the waterfront in Woodbridge has now submitted plans to turn an ancient mill into luxury flats.

MICHAEL Howard Homes, the company involved in a controversial scheme to revitalise the waterfront in Woodbridge has now submitted plans to turn an ancient mill into luxury flats.

The company has been involved in consultation with the public over proposals to turn Whisstocks boatyard into 13 top quality homes with 1,000sq m of office space.

These plans have been criticised for their impact on the area, most notably on the Tide Mill which the town council feels will be dwarfed by the proposals, and it is expected that the company will unveil alterations to the plans soon.

Now it has released details of a planning project to turn the empty Quayside Mill, also known as Nunns Mill, into 14 flats. The buildings became vacant last year when the Rockford Group relocated to Rendlesham.

The buildings are surrounded by residential properties and Michael Howard Homes said: ''Redevelopment for residential development would be entirely appropriate and would provide an opportunity for enhancement of local residential amenity.

''A residential use will reduce the level of traffic visiting the site and, furthermore, removes any need for deliveries by HGVs.''

The company says the proposed redevelopment would reduce the ground coverage of buildings and soft red bricks would be used to match those found on nearby properties. It wants to erect a building that reflects on the former mill, before it became used for industry, and therefore the proposed height is three and a half storeys.

Plans for the site have been shown to residents and Jacqueline Patient, of Doric Place whose property looks onto the mill, said: ''Woodbridge needs work and jobs, not more expensive homes. The plans should be smaller and lower and this is basically out of scale. It is interesting that in the company's brochure there are pictures of exceptionally expensive houses, but not of flats. Are these going to be just as expensive?''

A planning application has been submitted to the district council where officers are already discussing the merits of the Whisstocks boatyard project.