Associated British Ports submits plans for £2m development of Ipswich’s Neptune Marina, now Beacon Marina

Major plans for the redevelopment of Ipswich waterfront have been announced after more than a year of back-and-forth between the site’s owners and berth holders.

On Tuesday, Associated British Ports (ABP) submitted plans to Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) seeking to make £2m worth of upgrades to the old Neptune Marina, now known as Beacon Marina.

If approved, 93 pontoons would be removed from the wet dock and 15 would be installed in front of Coprolite Street and the University of Suffolk’s main building.

In addition, two welfare buildings for berth holders will be built, one near Neptune Quay and the other on the island opposite, which would include toilets, showers, laundry facilities and other services.

A large space would also be allocated to Ipswich Maritime Trust for a new museum.

Paul Ager, divisional port manager for ABP, said the firm wanted Beacon Marina to be welcoming for boat owners and visiting crews.

“We are making a major investment in Ipswich as a destination and want it to thrive,” he said.

“We have gone some way towards answering boat owners’ concerns. Waterfront visitors on the quayside will still be able to see a variety of craft moored here.”

Mr Ager said some changes at the waterfront would not require planning permission.

However, the final plans are still awaiting confirmation by ABP’s board and approval from IBC.

Should the green light come soon, ABP said work could begin in early 2025.

ABP owns both the Port of Ipswich and Neptune Marina.

The changes represented a ‘positive vision’ for Ipswich as a vibrant waterfront town and would transform its facilities, Mr Ager stated.

Plans for the waterfront were originally proposed in June last year.

This would have involved the removal of all boats from Neptune Marina and the installation of new pontoons on the island.

A number of berth-holders opposed these plans, and thousands of residents signed a petition to ‘save the waterfront’.

Mr Ager described the new plans as a compromise based on comments from owners and businesses along the waterfront.

Despite new pontoons being placed, they would not go as far down as Isaacs on the Quay of The Salthouse for general use, he said.

However, a pontoon will be placed to allow visiting or historic vessels to moor outside the two buildings.

ABP said it was committed to ensuring Ipswich thrived and that its reputation as a vibrant waterfront town remained intact.

This meant the firm ‘playing its part’ in helping the town remain an attractive place for owners to visit, either as tourists or by mooring their boats in the marina.

He said: “Ipswich remains a major commercial port and the number one export port for agricultural products in the UK.”

However, the firm’s commitment to the town extended beyond the marina, he said.

Mr Ager added: “With the support of our customers, we make a major contribution to the local economy, and ABP has invested more than £50 million in commercial port facilities in Ipswich since 2012.

“This should highlight ABP’s dedication to fostering economic growth and prosperity in the region.”