Ipswich Housing Pressures Grow (Ipswich Liberal Democrats)

Ipswich Liberal Democrats <info@ipswichlibdems.org.uk>

Ipswich Housing Pressures Grow

October 21, 2007 6:00 PM

Pressure is growing for more family homes in Ipswich

Plans to turn the former Sugar Beet factory site into housing, shops, a park and a school were rejected by Babergh District Council quite some weeks ago, and the would-be developer appealed. The planning inspectorate have now decided to support the Babergh decision. (This "part of Ipswich" is outside the Ipswich Borough boundary and in Babergh.)

While this avoids additional traffic build up in an already busy area, it does mean that there is increased pressure for additional family homes elsewhere in the urban Ipswich area, and in particular inside the Ipswich Borough boundary.

Many Ipswich residents have asked whether we continue to need more flats and apartments. However, we started from a relatively low base, with around half the proportion of the flats that there were in other East Anglian towns and cities such as Norwich and Cambridge. Even with all the massive regeneration of the Waterfront in Ipswich, we still have not caught up with these other towns in terms of the percentage of apartments out of all homes. And, at the moment at least, 1 and 2 bedroom flats are generally still selling, showing that there is still demand for them.

The Government sets all local authorities a target of 60% of building to be on previously used building land, or so-called "brown field" sites. We have been delighted to grow our figure to a remarkable 99%. However, we are now beginning to realise that there is also a downside to that tremendous achievement: it means that we are using up the brown field sites that much faster. Unfortunately, also, many of the brown field sites - such as the Waterfront - are not suited to traditional family homes with gardens.

The pressure is on - to find infill and expansion sites for more family homes.