The first foundations for one of the biggest regeneration projects in the East of England, the £70 million Cranfields Mill site in Ipswich, are being laid.
Sensitively blending old and new, the completed development will be a stunning feature for the waterfront as well as bringing jobs and investment into the area. The 2.5 acre site will incorporate a 23-storey tower, house 330 apartments, provide a hotel, restaurants, bars and a £7.9 million state-of-the-art DanceHouse for Ipswich-based, national dance agency DanceEast. Once completed it will be known as 'The Mill'.
Cranfields Mill is part of the East of England's Development Agency's £200 million region-wide regeneration programme. The Ipswich waterfront, a run-down docklands area was ripe for redevelopment and EEDA kick-started its wider regeneration, granting £4 million for the purchase and decontamination of the Cranfields Mill site in 2000. EEDA has also spent £1 million to fit out the new DanceHouse.
David Marlow, chief executive of EEDA, said:
"EEDA's plans to redevelop the Cranfields Mill site, where DanceEast will be based, have helped to attract a huge amount of investment into the waterfront area in the past six years which has lead to widespread regeneration. We are very pleased to see the work get started. The redevelopment of the site will improve the waterfront environment, provide housing and business premises, attract future private sector investment and increase the number of visitors to Ipswich. The Mill will give Ipswich another reason to be proud."
Assis Carreiro, Director of DanceEast said:
"We can finally see our DanceHouse begin to emerge on the Ipswich waterfront. For all of us the vision is becoming a reality as we see the foundations laid for the future for the DanceHouse. We are all excited to see Laing O'Rourke begin work and can't wait to see our state-of-the-art studios start rise from the ground."