Heritage talks at Quay Place

10 October: Ropemaking and allied trades in Ipswich, Des Pawson. 24 October: A history of the Ipswich river in photographs, Stuart Grimwade. Both at 7 to 8.30pm; info@quayplace.co.uk or 01473-569696 to book.

 

Brightwell Lakes, the planned 2,000 new homes immediately south of the BT tower on Adastral Park has the go-ahead.  A Section 106 agreement has been signed and work on the £96 million infrastructure investment can start almost immediately.  This includes a package of transport upgrades including junction and highway improvements, bus and cycle lanes, walking routes and a new A12 crossing.

Total expenditure is likely to be in excess of £300 million and overall the development is estimated to create almost 1,000 new jobs.  On site there will be a new primary school, a business park and local shops.  34 hectares are assigned as open space; this includes heathland, meadows and woodland, sports facilities and wildlife protection zones.

Debate about the proposal for this massive increase in the size of Martlesham was lively but long term it will provide space for Suffolk Coastal to deliver their housing strategy.
Whether it is in the right place has been part of the debate. It will certainly shift what is effectively the Ipswich conurbation further east (with no benefit to Ipswich).

 

Window Museum, Albion Quay

Another excellent display in the Ipswich Maritime Trust Window Museum currently features some fine photographic enlargements and exhibits from Des and Liz Pawson’s ropemaking and knotting collection including, at lower left, part of the huge anchor cable from HMS Victory (Nelson’s flagship which was designed by the naval surveyor Sir Thomas Slade, who is buried at the Church of St Clement).