A MAJOR development of shops, a hotel, and an old people's home is being recommended for approval on one of the most prominent sites in Ipswich.

A MAJOR development of shops, a hotel, and an old people's home is being recommended for approval on one of the most prominent sites in Ipswich.

Permission is being sought to bulldoze St George's House at the junction of St Matthew's Street and Berners Street, and also fronting Bedford Street and St George's Street.

The plans are to replace the 1964-built structure with a 125-bedroom hotel, five shops and a 45 unit very sheltered housing scheme. On St George's Street, the hotel would include a full height glazed atrium.

Delivery vehicles would use the re-opened junction of St George's and St Matthew's Streets, with a toucan crossing replacing the existing pelican.

Mike Tee, the head of the borough's planning, transport, and regeneration unit, described the current buildings on the site as being of “low quality that detract from the street scene and the conservation area.”

In a report to tomorrow's borough development control committee, Mr Dee said the new building “represents development of high quality and sustainable design and the proposed uses would be appropriate in this location.”

He said the site had “a long standing need for regeneration” and the proposals would “revitalise a peripheral run down part of the town centre's urban fabric.”