Trees to go

PROTECTED trees outside an Ipswich town centre landmark are set to be cut back as part of the ongoing redevelopment of the site.One tree will be removed from the southern churchyard of St Nicholas Church in Cromwell Square and another nine, including some in the northern churchyard will be reshaped and pruned, if a planning application with Ipswich Borough Council is passed.

PROTECTED trees outside an Ipswich town centre landmark are set to be cut back as part of the ongoing redevelopment of the site.

One tree will be removed from the southern churchyard of St Nicholas Church in Cromwell Square and another nine, including some in the northern churchyard will be reshaped and pruned, if a planning application with Ipswich Borough Council is passed.

The redundant church, in which Thomas Wolsey was christened, was sold to the Ipswich Historic Churches Trust for a nominal £1 nearly 20 years ago.

It is set to become part of a major redevelopment of the administrative offices for the Church of England in Suffolk.

Nicholas Edgell of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocese said: "The last six months have been a period of consultation and a clear view about how the building might be altered is beginning to emerge.

"Repairing and converting a church is a major and complicated task," he added, in an interview in the East Anglican monthly diocese magazine.

"The process is time consuming but necessary if we are to ensure a new long term future for this glorious building."