AMBITIOUS multi-million pound proposals to redevelop the former Tolly Cobbold brewery and surrounding land have been formally lodged with Ipswich Borough Council.

As revealed earlier this year, Suffolk-based Pigeon developments wants to turn the historic brewery into a business centre – including a micro-brewery – and carry out significant development nearby.

This would include building a supermarket, similar in size to the Stoke Park Asda, an hotel, and flats.

The application has been lodged with the planning department at Grafton House. It is expected to be discussed by the borough’s planning and development committee in November.

The name of the operator being lined up to take on the supermarket has not been revealed, and in its application Pigeon says it is still in negotiations with possible occupiers of the site.

In the past Asda said it wanted to build another medium-sized supermarket in south east Ipswich and it would not be a surprise if that turned out to be the final tenant.

The proposals envisage parking being included under the supermarket building. The current bid is for outline planning permission – a full detailed application is likely to come later if this is given permission.

Developing the former brewery has been problematic in the past as it could not be turned into housing because it was too near the Vopak oil terminal.

However, since that closed the restriction has been eased – which means there could be some homes built on the site.