Planning matters

36 Westerfield Road. A second application for a single storey house, this time with a pitched rather than a flat roof, was discussed at the Planning Committee on June 28 and was granted permission. Thus we have a modern bungalow in a back garden wth a pitched roof rather than a flat roof.

21 Museum Street. An excellent proposal to convert this 17th century house (Listed Grade II) on the corner of Museum and Elm Streets, formerly used by Scrutton, Bland as part of their offices, back to a house.

New Wolsey Theatre. A few months after his death,the distinguished modern theatre architect, Rodney Ham's last work, is in trouble again. Built in 1979, it had to be re-roofed after 25 years; the roof was changed in 2004-5; it still leaks and this time Graham Lambert proposes its replacement with a steel outer, coloured grey, bonded to thick insulation. This should provide a satisfactory waterproof, insulated and aesthetically satisfactory solution.

Pooley's Yard Hotel. Travelodge have been granted permission to build an hotel opposite the railway station. It is functional rather than beautiful.

57 Henley Road. The large late 19th century redbrick house on the corner of Henley and St Edmunds Roads is already in multiple use, one of which was a Spiritualist Meeting Room. New owners have made two separate proposals. (a) Firstly, to convert the house into six apartments which will require the conversion of a garage to a kitchen and the demolition of a 1970s ground floor extension to the rear. We have made some minor objections to the details, but otherwise support the application which has been granted permission.

57 Henley Road. (b) Secondly, the application is to build a three-bed house in the back garden with access from St Edmunds Road. This would result in the loss of amenity space for the inhabitants of the new apartments and for the new house. There is inadequate car parking space for the new house and the new access would lose a street parking space as well as a length of Victorian garden wall. Additionally, the pastiche design is unacceptable in 2017. We have objected. This has been refused; at the time of writing the decision notice was not available.

Old B & Q site, Grafton Way. The proposal for 130 houses, 81 flats (in a 12 storey tower), 48 live-work units, six restaurants, 60-bed hotel with restaurant, public open space and cycle/walkway has now come to application. Whilst we are keen to see redevelopment of this critical central site, it is vital that it is carried out to a high quality architectural design and landscaping. To that end, the developers carried out a small public consultation last year at the Novotel at which members of the public gave their opinions; there have been three ‘preapp' meetings with the IBC and dialogue with Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE).

So far, the developers have failed to produce adequate plans for the riverside walk/cycle-way, its landscaping and connections to the bridges at either end. There would be few trees, no indication of street furniture such as seats, no design details of the cycle and pedestrian way. The double ramp access to the frail Princes Street Bridge is inadequate to encourage people to walk and cycle from the station to the town centre, Cardinal Park, the Waterfront and the University. This is a key part of a transport link to the Sproughton development in due course; it is vital for the future transport links in the town centre and to form an attractive water feature that this is done properly. It is more important for traffic flows in the future than the proposed bridges but far cheaper. You can object directly in the usual way and you can also contact STG, the consultants hired by Ipswich Borough Council to review the Public Realm in the Town Centre.

The developers of Snoasis, the proposed leisure and ski slope centre at Great Blakenham have submitted another application to deal with outstanding matters and have announced to the media that they are going to go ahead and that they have raised the money: (“£450,000,000 is not a lot these days” they said to the Star!).

Mike Cook