Big Changes For Ipswich Town Centre

18 November 2011, 07:25

Ipswich Borough council have released a fifteen year plan to make improvements on Ipswich town centre and are now asking local residents and businesses to have their say.

The aim is to enhance the town centre, delivering a programme of regeneration and renewal that builds on the aspirations to be a regional centre for shopping and culture. It is believed that that can be achieved by:

• Remodelling the town centre so it is aligned more north to
  south than east to west;
• Developing retail opportunities between the town centre and
  the Waterfront and in the Cox Lane area, and extending Tower
  Ramparts northwards;
• Encouraging a “cafe culture” by permitting more food and
  drink uses;
• Promoting large-scale office development around Portman
  Road/Ipswich Village area;
• Providing more multi-storey short-stay car parks;
• Improving bus access and relocating both existing bus stations
  to a new site;
•  Improving pedestrian links between the town centre and the
  Waterfront and making Star Lane easier to cross;
• Implementing the “Ipswich - Transport Fit for the 21st Century”
  improvements plan.

The draft master plan will be open for consultation by the public until December 23rd.