Two new roads in Ipswich were officially opened today as part of the development of Futura Park, Ipswich’s major new retail and business park at Nacton.
The Mayor of Ipswich, Cllr Mary Blake cut the ribbon to mark the opening of James Bennett Avenue and Crane Boulevard, which run alongside the new combined flagship John Lewis at home and Waitrose store which opens to the public next week.
Futura Park is the regeneration of a redundant 44-acre industrial site between Ransomes Way and Nacton Road. The names of the roads were chosen as a nod to the site’s history.
Crane Boulevard, which connects with Nacton Road, is named after Crane Co of Chicago, the engineering company that bought the site in 1919 and operated a foundry there for 83 years.
James Bennett Avenue, which links with Ransomes Way, is named after the engineer who established Crane Co’s UK operations during the 1920s. The foundry closed in 2008 when production was moved to China.
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