A MAJOR step in the development of Ipswich's waterfront is expected next week if developers get the go-ahead to transform the old Cranfields building.Planning officers have asked councillors to allow them to give permission to convert Cranfield's Mill and associated garage and lorry park, in College Street, into flats and affordable housing above a dance studio.

A MAJOR step in the development of Ipswich's waterfront is expected next week if developers get the go-ahead to transform the old Cranfields building.

Planning officers have asked councillors to allow them to give permission to convert Cranfield's Mill and associated garage and lorry park, in College Street, into flats and affordable housing above a dance studio.

An 80-bedroom hotel, offices, a cafe and car parking are all earmarked for the 1.2 hectare site that was purchased by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) in 2000.

Ipswich Council's planning committee will discuss Wharfside Regeneration's blueprint at a meeting on Wednesday .

The main bulk of the building would be demolished to make way for 325 flats – a mix of 30 studio apartments, 151 one bedroom apartments, 110 two bedroom apartments and 34 duplex units.

They would be built in a 23-storey tower block which would tower over existing silos in the wet dock area.

There would also be 3,840 square metres of space on the ground floor for use by Dance East as dance centre with rehearsal and performance areas.

Permission is expected to be granted subject to conditions including flood protection measures, noise reduction measures, CCTV, landscaping and paving, and the provision of a children's play area.

Cranfield's Mill has stood by the quayside for more than a century but has been empty since it closed in 1997.

Part of the original building would be retained fronting on to the water itself.

nDo you think 23 storeys is too tall for the Waterfront? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk