Draft Site Allocations and Policies (incorporating IP-One Area Action Plan) Development Plan Document

- I am Stuart King and I am one of the directors of Clarice House Health Club and Spa, which is located directly next to, and west of, the proposed site.
- I have two points I would like to make with regard to this proposal.

1. The Effect it Would Have on our Business

- Clarice House was established 20 years ago when Colin and Thila King purchased the then Bramford Lodge in a dilapidated condition. The property had been empty for some time and the site had been occupied by Gypsies and Travellers and the property was damaged.
- After a year of renovation and building works Clarice House was opened and has gradually been developed since.
- Today, the Clarice House Group, which has sites at Bramford, Bury St Edmunds and Colchester employs 270 people, of which 49 are employed at Bramford.
- The major part of the Clarice House Unique Proposition is that we provide excellent facilities in a tranquil location, close to houses but far enough away to provide the right environment for relaxation.
- If the proposed site progresses we believe that the business will fail. Our customers buy into the independent offering we provide and they come to "escape the real world" at their "oasis of calm". We believe our customers and staff will be in fear of crime and conflict. As result we believe our customers will cancel their Health Club memberships and will not visit for Day Spas. This week our customers have been commenting on the proposal, having seen it in the local paper. The two main things they have been saying are, 1 we will leave & 2 you will go bust. So I believe our fears and concerns are real.
- We believe it will be impossible to attract new business. Ultimately this will lead to the failure of the business, with the loss of all 49 jobs and other significant contributions to the local economy; for example we pay in excess of £87,000 in rates each year alone.
- We would be left with an unusable, unsaleable, blighted site.
- The burden this would place on the rest of the Clarice House group would most likely be that the other two locations would be dragged down and forced to close, with the loss of all 270 jobs.

2. We have an Alternative

- Recently we became aware that the tenant of the land had given up his tenancy so we have been talking to IBC to discuss options for us to take it over - I met with them this week to discuss our proposals.
- Our proposal is to create a country park and exercise area that will be open for all to use without charge.
- In addition we would improve the facilities we offer to our members.
- Our proposal includes:
o A "running track" / "exercise circuit" constructed around the perimeter of the site.
o A "park gym" / trim trail
o The balance of the site would be landscaped to provide a small "country park".
o To confirm the "exercise circuit", "park gym" and "country park" would all be accessible to the public without charge or the need to be a member of Clarice House.

- We believe such a development would:
o Preserve and enhance the green boundary of Ipswich.
o Strengthen the future of the business, thus securing the 49 existing jobs.
o Create another 4 full-time positions and provide 70 hours per week of "freelance" employment for professional instructors.
o Provide an enhanced outside space with exercise facilities available free of charge to all.

Clearly, we oppose this proposal for a Gypsy & Traveller site on River Hill.