104 London Road. The photographs of the current cottage show a building that could have been restored and possibly enlarged; the repeated denial of the possibility of building a residence in the garden only adds to the feeling that this is a developer determined to get his way.

Billiard Hall, Upper Brook Street. In the absence of a master plan another failure is going to overtake ‘The Mint Quarter’. Already we have the development in Upper Orwell Street, roundly condemned last month as is the proposed destruction of Carr Street. The architects have amended the plans in the light of the previous refusal. We felt that it should be refused on the grounds that buildings of multiple occupancy can quickly become unfit for human habitation unless carefully managed.

Old Post Office, Cornhill. This was granted planning permission on 1 July 2021 as The Botanist Restaurant.

Monopole, Derby Road. Another 60 foot high monstrosity, accompanied by a row of street level cabinets which are even more obtrusive. A condition should be that the trees are not interfered with in any way. In the search for technological prowess and ultra-high speed internet connections via 5G, Ipswich and, indeed, most of the developed world will have these intrusions dropped into their neighbourhood.

Old Social Club, Bolton Lane. This wooden building, full of asbestos and up close to the listed, much used, St Margarets Church Hall should certainly be demolished. Let us hope that the Parish Council can find a better outcome than surrounding it with a high fence.

Canopy, New Wolsey Theatre. The papers available to the public are difficult to interpret as is the effect the canopy will have on the facade of Roderick Ham’s theatre. Currently there is what I take to be a mock-up scaffolding which doesn’t damage the appearance greatly. At least it could be removed in the future.

2-4 Russell Road. Erection of an additional retail unit. We have an excess of unused retail units. If and when all the spaces granted permission in Russell Road are up and running, it would be reasonable to consider an application. This application, which presumably is speculative, would mean the loss of two trees and thus some CO2 mitigation.

3 Coytes Gardens. Surely the existing rights of way passage precludes a wide enough ground floor room for new-build human habitation in 2021; it must be right to retain the ground floor as parking with a cycle and bin store enclosure with three two bedroom apartments above.

7 Constable Road. We have no objection to the double garage. It would be better if the public were provided with a list of materials proposed, particularly in a Conservation Area with an Article 4 direction.

16 Westerfield Road. An Article 4 Conservation Area. The proposal is for the erection of a garage, albeit in a pastiche design, forward of the building line and thus will obstruct the view of, and from Westerfield Court. 

New building for Suffolk New College, Dove Street/Rope Walk. At four stories too high it fits with Suffolk New College but not with Dove Street. It would be nice to have seen some street elevations of the existing build with the new build and Suffolk New College in order to compare heights. We would have expected a better quality design adjacent to St Helen's Conservation Area.

St Joseph’s College. This is a very large scheme to ensure the economic future of the college. Led by Wince Kievenaar, Goldrood House would be converted to 11 apartments, the mews boarding house demolished and replaced by a further five dwellings; four blocks of houses totalling 35 will be built on the green sward between Goldrood House and the main college, (all listed, including the wall and gate at Grade II).

Additionally, school boarding houses of 121 rooms of modern design would be erected to the north of the chapel. Our objection is to the siting of the four blocks of housing so close to the listed wall and southeastern aspect of Goldrood House and to the loss of the greensward. We think that an adjustment to the positioning of the blocks northwards would ameliorate the effect considerably. Overall this proposal, though a full application, if granted could well not be built; a different but equally invasive and less attractive plan could well be, submitted on the basis that a precedent has been set.

50 Russet Road (old Driving Test Centre, Woodbridge Road). This is a good site for a Special Educational Needs School (SEND) though it has meant the loss of a Site Allocated to Housing in the previous Local Plan. The whole school has been planned and designed by consultants selected by the Department of Education to the standards and criteria laid down by the D of E. So it utilises SIP* elements surrounded by largely prefabricated off-site structural elements. The resultant building is largely two storey and functional. The school is much needed but this does not excuse the poor architectural design. It could be done much better. I am disappointed to see that the Government is installing a gas-fired boiler in 2022; it should surely do better than this. [*Structural Insulated Panel]

Fringe Area Application. Taylor Wimpey, the nation’s third largest house builder, now owns or has powers over most of the land west of Chantry Park to the A14 and north of the A1214 London Road as far as Sproughton, surrounding The Red House. It is in Babergh District Council so IBC has no real power over decisions made in what should be a part of the town. The latest application consists of 750 dwellings in four parcels. The detailed plans and appearance are still reserved matters. There are no shops, medical centre, community centre or cycle provision. There are some junction improvements and a primary school. It will lead to an enormous increase in vehicle traffic because of the lack of amenities. The nearest house is within metres of Chantry Park, upon which the development relies for green space; it will destroy The Wilderness.

Planning Permission has been granted to the enlarged new Lidl in Futura Park on Nacton Road (see page 6) and to the demolition of the Coop Department Store in Carr Street and its replacement with a much needed 430 pupil Ipswich Central Primary School. This is a Department of Education funded exercise, so the consultants and the design are central government chosen; we have no choice in realpolitik. A recommendation for a condition to remove, retain and re-erect the Cox Lane mosaic was passed. (See the letter to the Editor on page 14).

Path Labs, Ipswich Hospital. Some will have noticed a large two-storey extension to the Pathology Laboratory without apparent planning consent. The building was constructed following confirmation from Ipswich Borough Council that the proposal complies with emergency permitted development rights related to Coronavirus as demonstrated under newly formed Schedule 2, Part 12A, Class A of the Town and Country Planning Order 2020 following the coronavirus outbreak in 2020. The permitted development rights are in force until 31 December 2021 unless the time period is subsequently extended and thus planning permission is required for continued use. The application contains a note that such applications should be dealt with at speed! This a local example of central government stretching its own rules and then proposing laws to include them.

Mike Cook

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