VIBRANT Ipswich is changing at a cracking rate with new housing developments, office blocks and buildings springing up all over town. In the last decade the Ipswich skyline has changed significantly with parts of town now unrecognisable from the early 1990s.

By Nick Richards

VIBRANT Ipswich is changing at a cracking rate with new housing developments, office blocks and buildings springing up all over town.

In the last decade the Ipswich skyline has changed significantly with parts of town now unrecognisable from the early 1990s.

More recent changes in the town centre have come in the form of the development of the Wet Dock, where the impressive apartments of Neptune Quay now loom over the marina.

The area around Portman Road has also seen extensive changes with the transformation of the football ground into one of the best stadiums in the Premier League.

Work on the ground should be finished in time for the new season and the area near the ground has also seen expansion in the form of the Churchman's apartments.

That's not to mention the new car park at the railway station, the new TXU building and the new Crown Court building.

House-hunters will be pleased to here of more new developments on the horizon.

Bellway Homes have been granted planning permission for 29 one and two bedroom apartments at the new Quay West development on the town's waterfront close to the historic Felaw Maltings. Work has already started on this development and should be completed by Autumn 2003.

There's also the Ramsey Park and Howard House developments off Ancaster Road, which will provide another 25 houses.

Thirty new houses are planned for the former site of St Joseph's Prep school on Oak Hall Lane and 100 new homes will be built on the former convent site on Woodbridge Road.

On the move is the driving test centre, which is currently located on Woodbridge Road. Novice drivers take note - the place where driving dreams will either be shattered or given the seal of approval is set to relocate to the site of the old CKN garage on Knightsdale Road

A new wine bar is also planned close to the Falcon pub in the town centre in the Georgian building formerly known as the Paper Bag factory.

Mike Smith, Head of Development Control at Ipswich Borough Council said all this change was simply brilliant for the town.

He said: "It's great for the town and it's in everyone's best interest for the future. We are making provision for our children with the building of so many new houses and facilities.

"With so many people staying in the Ipswich area, it is important to build new houses, but the pace must be controlled. We don't want all this building to get out of control."