NEW premises for nine companies are set to be created following the demolition of piggeries at Foxhall - providing a jobs boost for the area.
NEW premises for nine companies are set to be created following the demolition of piggeries at Foxhall - providing a jobs boost for the area.
P and H Developments Ltd is to knock down the former Shepherd and Dog Piggeries in Felixstowe Road and replace them with 2,256 sq metres of office accommodation.
This would be built in three single-storey buildings, each with six offices served from three reception areas, plus kitchens and toilets, suitable for nine small firms.
Planning officers at Suffolk Coastal District Council are happy with the project, as is Brightwell, Foxhall and Purdis Farm Group Parish Council, though it does not want to see the scheme spread on to the green belt next door to the site.
Council case officer William Shoote said the principle of replacing the concrete piggeries with offices had been established five years ago.
“During consideration of the previous application it was noted as being important that the offices should be small in order to be suitable for numerous small local firms,” said Mr Shoote.
“A condition was imposed which restricted one company or individual operator to no more than 300sq m of office space.
“In this instance the loss of the piggeries would bring about an environmental and visual improvement to the site and its surroundings.
“This improvement is dependent upon adequate screen planting and landscaping around the site, as well as ensuring that the proposed design is appropriate to the site and its surrounding area.”
The new weatherboard-clad buildings would take up less space than the piggeries.
Two houses are nearby but the office buildings would be away from site boundaries and the proposed hours of use of 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 1pm on Sundays and Bank holidays, would be unlikely to cause problems.
Members of the south area development control sub committee will decide the project's fate on tomorrow.
What do you think of the idea of offices? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk
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