Plans for 109 new flats close to Ipswich town centre backed

Plans for 109 new flats close to Ipswich town centre have been backed by councillors.

Borough councillors met earlier today to discuss Kream Properties' bid to build the flats in Ranelagh Road, next to Ipswich's railway station.

The plans were originally submitted in June last year for three residential blocks, the tallest rising to eight stories, and 228sqm of non-retail business space meant for community and leisure opportunities.

Cllr Colin Kreidewolf welcomed the development and said it had been a longstanding aim of the council to improve the area.

The site had already been subject to a bid for 333 flats in 2002, which was later withdrawn, before part of it was earmarked for a hotel, which was never built.

Cllr Carole Jones said: "A lot of work has gone into tweaking and nuance and altering, and I think the final outcome is a good one - it would be great to finally have an application that got built here.”

No affordable homes were proposed due to the development comprising only flats and being put forward to bring brownfield land back into use.

Tim Cropper, director at Mialex, the agent, said the scheme would bring significant positive contributions to the town and provide an opportunity to deliver a landmark development.

As part of the officer's recommendation for approval, a legally-binding agreement was proposed committing the developer to paying more than £1.2 million in financial contributions, to be used for education provision, libraries, and the NHS.

Councillors unanimously backed the plans, subject to 26 conditions, including an extra requirement to ensure the bus stop is kept in the area.