Issues and Options for the Ipswich Local Plan Review

Comment

Representation ID: 25258

Received: 30/11/2017

Respondent: Ipswich Archaeological Trust

On the whole, the town's archaeological assets have been well-protected by the planning policies. However, some nationally important sites, excavated on the waterfront, have not been analysed and brought to archive or publication following the bankruptcy of the developers. The costs of excavating some of the more complex sites has rendered their development unprofitable. Serious consideration should be given to how the Local Plan Policies can be used to ensure that the necessary funds are available. One option would be to create the fund through an archaeological levy on ALL future planning consents or the use of the existing CIL.

Comment

Representation ID: 25259

Received: 30/11/2017

Respondent: Ipswich Archaeological Trust

Archaeological excavation and research since 1974 has shown that Ipswich is one of England's earliest towns but this fact has been little utilised.
The vast amount of information gained through excavations could and should be exploited both for the interest of local people and to attract tourism.
Clearly, there is nothing above ground to see of the Anglo-Saxon town, apart the street system which dates from that period, but there is a vast collection of artefacts from the excavations and a fascinating story to tell. There is still no adequate display of the evidence for the town's origin and development in the town's museum. The Council should consider using the Community Infrastructure Levy to fund public displays and the dissemination of the results.
The connection with the nearby contemporary Royal site at Sutton Hoo should also be exploited. For example, once the full size replica of the Sutton Hoo ship has been built at Woodbridge, it could easily sail to Ipswich waterfront as a tourist attraction and visitors could be better encouraged to visit both locations.
There is also potential to develop some of assets of the later town. In the future, there will inevitably be proposals to develop the site of Wolsey's College, near the waterfront, and this would provide an opportunity to promote the Wolsey connections to the town. Consideration should be given to preserving the remains of the College as an archaeological park or at least marking its outline within any new development. A Wolsey display could be housed in the adjacent St Peter's Church. These proposals could be pursued through specific planning policies for the areas of land within the Wolsey College precinct.

Comment

Representation ID: 25260

Received: 30/11/2017

Respondent: Ipswich Archaeological Trust

The proposal to create a 'Gipeswic Centre' on the waterfront, dedicated to telling the story of England's first town, and first advanced in a bid to the Millennium Commission, should remain an objective in some form. This would need to be co-ordinated with whatever display Ipswich Museum proposes but could concentrate on the maritime history of Ipswich from the 7th to 20th centuries. Such a display would be best housed at or close to the waterfront, perhaps in one of the many ground floor 'commercial' unit overlooking the river.