FROM disused to flour mill to a home for hundreds of people.That's the proposal that has today arrived at Civic Centre in Ipswich for the development of Cranfields Mill on the Ipswich Waterfront.

FROM disused to flour mill to a home for hundreds of people.

That's the proposal that has today arrived at Civic Centre in Ipswich for the development of Cranfields Mill on the Ipswich Waterfront.

Although much of the attention surrounding the redevelopment of the mill has concentrated on the proposed new headquarters for Dance East, that is a small element of the overall proposal from Wharfside Regeneration (Ipswich) Ltd.

The developers plan to build tower blocks of up to 23 storeys to contain up to 332 flats.

These would be both for sale and as affordable homes available for rent through a housing association.

They also include an 80-bedroom hotel, offices and café space in the development proposals.

A 23-storey high-rise block would dominate the town's skyline – even though it is on relatively low-lying land.

It is much taller that St Francis Court (16 storeys) or the 14-storey Civic Centre, although that is likely to have been demolished by the time Cranfield's tower is completed.

One element that is looking less likely to be included in the Cranfield's development is the inclusion of a new film theatre for Ipswich.

This had been proposed because of the uncertainty about the future of the Corn Exchange and the need to have a film theatre that could be open seven days a week, not only when the Corn Exchange is open.

However the Star understands that senior councillors and leaders of the town's art community have discussed the possibility of contacting one of the two commercial cinemas in the town about converting one of their screens into an "arthouse" film theatre.

nWhat do you think of a 23-storey tower block being built in the Waterfront area of Ipswich? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk