Plans to turn an eyesore landmark building on Ipswich Waterfront into an arts and media hub have received a £3million boost.
The funding will be injected into the project to revamp the old Burton’s building and adjoining warehouse on Ipswich Waterfront from the government’s new Getting Building Fund.
The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last month in a bid to get the economy moving following the coronavirus lockdown.
Plans for the exciting project which has been driven by Ipswich Borough Council were unveiled last year and the scheme was finally given the go ahead in January.
Once complete, the site will provide a new home for the internationally-acclaimed Gecko dance and theatre company while space will be available for a new café and tech start-ups as well.
Ipswich MP Tom Hunt has welcomed the news as a sign that lobbying the government for investment was paying dividends for the town.
He said: “It’s good news that Ipswich will be getting £3 million from the Getting Building Fund that the Prime Minister announced last month.
“This funding will create new local jobs and bring another one of our prominent local buildings out of disuse and back into the service of our town.
“This successful £3 million bid follows the news that Ipswich will receive up to £25 million from the Towns Fund, and it’s another clear sign that our efforts to lobby the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for more investment in Ipswich are producing results for our town.”
Mr Hunt also added that he hopes the project will help the town as a whole.
He added: “I recently met with DanceEast who are based in the building just next to the old Burton’s factory, and the creation of this hub will be a wider boost for Ipswich Waterfront and the creative industries in Ipswich.”
The Burton’s building was bought by Ipswich Borough Council for £210,000 in 2015 and has worked to acquire other parts of the Waterfront entrance in a bid to regenerate the area and create a better link to the town centre.
The Burton’s factory has lain empty for more than 20 years, and it is hoped the plan will lead to further regeneration of the Paul’s silo building, while plans for a better public open space have also been mooted.
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