An e-mail to the Chairman

A number of people have responded to the Chairman's request for non-committee members to write to the Newsletter. An interesting reply has come from Peter Turtill. Some of his views are at variance from those of the committee, but the Newsletter doesn't shy away from controversy; in fact that was one of the aspects which most impressed the judges when the Newsletter won the top regional award for community publications when that was being run by the British Association of Industrial Editors.

Mr Turtill refers to page numbers in the July issue. "May I add comment to various pages of the latest Newsletter. I hope to be informative, helpful and questioning of current attitudes."

"Page 2. Why must we grow our town? I am at a loss to understand why growth is considered to be good or even necessary as this is our home and not a business so why attract a growing population? Why is growth even considered? We should be trying to shrink our town surely?"

"Page 3. Why is Ipswich lucky to have publicly funded work at UCS? It straddles a main road into town and just adds to the congestion. I am pleased other large buildings such as Regatta Quay and The Mill are at a standstill. I just wish they had never been started. I much preferred the dock as it was, open to all traffic and free of kerbs/ chains /bollards and street furniture."

"Page 5. Why fourth time lucky? Ipswich is not a city and too much time and money has already been wasted trying to change the status of our home town. It would be better for those who want to live in a city to just move into one. That would cost our town nothing. Also why a new Sixth Form College catering for up to 2,000 students? Where are these students coming from?"

"Page 6. Mr Jonathan Glancey no doubt gave a very entertaining talk but he is wrong about curbing the traffic flow on Star Lane and Key Street. We should have curbed the now derelict monster building developments on the dock instead. They are a scandalous obstruction on the dock and the roadway. These are main routes across our town."

"Page 18. Empty homes exist so why build more along the dock, Kiln Meadow or the Northern Fringe?"

Mr Turtill also writes in useful detail about the flood barrier and the Promenade [on the Island site of the docks]. He emphasises the Public Inquiry at IpCity Centre, starting on 7 December, into matters of Rights of Way around the dock. He points out that, "Anyone can attend but you must be there on the first day if you wish to contribute evidence or to address the Inquiry." This is a subject taken up by Mike Cook in this issue on page 13. It is an important and urgent matter which members might be able to help with.