Ipswich dock
Encyclopedia
The Ipswich Dock, is the area of land around the dock
in the town of Ipswich
at a bend of the River Orwell
which has been used for trade since at least the 8th Century. A wet dock
was constructed in 1842 which was 'the biggest enclosed dock in the kingdom' at the time. A major regeneration of the area has taken place since 1999.
in the 8th century, and was probably established during the 7th century under the protection of the ruling house of the Kingdom of East Anglia, which reached its summit under King Raedwald
. The importance of this dock, and the surrounding town which served it, has been recognized through excavation over the past fifty years. The early town of Ipswich (then called Gipeswic), centred upon the quay, extended over more than 52 hectares, the area later enclosed by the Viking age
ramparts (which curtailed the Anglo-Saxon township), making it one of the largest new early post-Roman townships and emporia
in northern Europe. Imported pottery of Rhenish Merovingian types, imported lava quern-stone
s and barrel-timbers dendro-dated to 8th century Germany
, and finds of continental coinage such as 'porcupine sceattas' indicate trade through the Rhine port towns including Domburg
, Dorestad
and Andernach
, as part of the cultural engagement of Anglo-Saxon England with the Frisian
, Frankish
, Alamanni
c, Saxon, Thuringian
and Burgundian worlds. The important 'Ipswich Ware' pottery industry, established in the town's north-east quarter probably in the late 7th century, reflected shapes and kiln technologies based on Frisian prototypes, either in imitation of imports arriving at the quay or set up by migrant Frisian workers. The Gipeswic dock was therefore the trade capital of the East Anglian Kingdom, situated not far from its royal centre at Rendlesham and Sutton Hoo
. During the 7th and 8th centuries the two greatest English ports were York
(Eoforwic) and London, and two principal new ports were Gipeswic in the east and Hamwic (Southampton) in the south. Like Hamwih, Gipeswic dock was therefore a point of departure and arrival for continental travel.
The early waterfront of Ipswich Dock ran from approximately St Peter's Church, near the present Stoke Bridge, eastward behind the present quay or marina embankment and past the present Custom House. It lay originally nearer to the line of College Street and Salthouse Street, with new revetments being built successively further out into the river in order to achieve a sufficient depth of water for ships to moor, as the earlier embankments became silted. The area between the road and the quay, formerly occupied by warehouses and now by new building developments, represents this area of successive embankments built upon river-mud. An extensive area of early Medieval waterfront construction was found by excavation during recent works to demolish the old industrial waterfront, and showed the footings of many projecting boardwalks, in a similar way to the contemporary waterfront at Dorestad, one of its principal trading partners in those times.
The original crossing was a ford, east of Stoke Bridge, linking Great Whip Street (on the south bank) with Foundation Street to the north, which then immediately branched into Lower Brook Street. The area north of the road, between St Peter's church and St Mary-at-Quay (and east of that), is thought to represent the site of the Anglo-Saxon industrial waterfront development. Its first urban catchment area extended north up to Falcon Street, Old Cattle Market, Dog's Head Street and Tacket Street, with burial grounds on rising land to the north. Probably during the 8th century the Stoke Bridge crossing was created, establishing the importance of St Peter's Street as the main northern route, and urban expansion spread over the burial grounds north to include the street called Buttermarket, the Cornhill area, and the line of the prehistoric road now represented by Westgate Street, Tavern Street and Carr Street. Discoveries of early sceattas in this area, and a dedication to St Mildred, suggest that this new layout was planned during the reigns of Kings Ealdwulf
(664-713) and his son AElfwald
(713-749). The street plan represented by this early Medieval development still largely survives in use in the modern town of Ipswich, and is one of the oldest post-Roman street-plans to survive anywhere in Europe. Both dock and town have remained in continuous use and occupation since that time.
In 991 a fleet of 93 Viking ship
s swept up the river Orwell and sacked the town.
During Edward III's reign Ipswich was one of the richest and most important ports in the country. Wool from Norfolk and Suffolk was in great demand by the weavers of Flanders
and the Netherlands
. 300 ships massed in the river to carry soldiers to fight and win the battle of Cressy. In 1588 Ipswich built, fitted out and manned two ships to sail against the Spanish Armada
.
reported in 1732 that the trade in the town had recently reduced and that there had been 20 ships a year built in the town and having seen over 200 ships belonging to the town in the port during the winter.
The dock was 'improved' in 1805 and then in 1837 an Act of Parliament
allowed the Ipswich Dock Commissioners to construct a new wet dock
whilst also placing certain conditions on them. In addition to building the wet dock and providing a diversion for the river Orwell along a 'New Cut' to the west of the dock the commissioners were to allow all persons, with cattle and carriages, may thereby have free access to the dock and quays and the sides of the said new cut and channel and also to contribute to the health and recreation of the inhabitants [of Ipswich]. The Ipswich Dock Commission was provided with investment of £25,000 and the right to borrow a further £100,000 but needed a further loan of £20,000 and also an additional levy of six pence per tonne on all imported coal to fund the project. The dock opened in 1842; the original lock gates entered the dock from the New Cut opposite Felaw Street. The new custom house
(now known as the 'Old Custom House') was completed in 1845.
The Ipswich Docks Act of 1877 allowed for the construction of a new lock in their present position to facilitate access to the dock and allow trams to operate along the length of the 'Island' between New Cut and the dock. The new lock gates were constructed by the time of the 1898 Act which authorised the construction of a swing bridge.
Ipswich Docks Act of 1913 allowed for the construction of a new entrance to the docks comprising inner and outer gates and a swing bridge, a quay and various tramways and also allowed for the 'stopping off' of various rights of way. There was however a condition that work had to be completed within 10 years and following World War I
an extension was granted by an Act of Parliament in 1918.
In 1997 the port was sold by Ipswich Ports Ltd to Associated British Ports. In 1998 new facilities were constructed for handling grain and timber followed by a Timber Treatment Centre in 1999. A new 7,500 square metre bulk storage shed with equipment for bagging and blending of fertilizers and other bulk products was then developed in the site of Cliff Quay Power Station
. In 2000 there were a number of further developments; a £1.9million agribulk storage facility opened; new automated lock gates were completed; a 180 berth Ipswich Haven Marina opened and the Old Custom House was refurbished and restored with the former bonded warehouse on the ground floor converted into the 'Waterfront Conference Centre'.
Many new buildings have been constructed along the northern and eastern quays since 1995. The Salthouse Hotel, the town's only 4 star hotel, opened in 2003 and was extended in 2009. The University Campus Suffolk
opened on the waterfront in 2008 with further construction in progress in 2010. A 23 story 234 ft tall landmark building which was 'topped out' in late 2008 by town's member of parliament, Chris Mole
and Dance East opened their new £8.9m Jerwood DanceHouse in 2009 within the building.
National Cycle Route 1 and National Cycle Route 51 pass along the waterfront. Ipswich Waterfront Action (previously known as the Ipswich Waterfront Community Group) has been working for a friendly, thriving and vibrant community on the Ipswich Waterfront since 2007.
. The container terminal is equipped to handle all types of containers and can also accept out-of-gauge and heavy lift cargoes and is equipped to accommodate short to mid-sea operations.
There is also the Ipswich Haven Marina with mooring for 250 private boats, a chandler and two boatbuilders (Fairline Yachts and Spirit Yachts).
, as it will improve connections to and from the redeveloped waterfront area. Construction is expected to start in spring/summer 2010.
Though the funding is already allocated, the exact plans are still not finalised. The plans include replacing the Duke Street roundabout with a signalled junction with changes to the access onto/off of Back Hamlet and Duke Street, the changes to access will be no entry from Back Hamlet to Fore Street and Fore Hamlet meaning that traffic will flow more smoothly as there will be no interruptions in flow caused by vehicles entering from Back Hamlet; the other change to access will be from Duke Street which will either be closed to non-buses past Coprolite Street, or no right turns from Duke Street onto Fore Hamlet. The pedestrian crossing facilities in the area will also be modernised including implementing bus priority
measures. Cycle lanes will be added, and the pavement widened along Fore Hamlet, with a bus lane being added to either Fore Hamlet or Pownall Road.
has been drawn up so that funding can be sought to push the work forward.
Waterfront Action has organised several successful events which were held to help develop a relational and vibrant Ipswich
Waterfront Community for both residents and visitors.
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
in the town of Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
at a bend of the River Orwell
River Orwell
The River Orwell flows through the county of Suffolk in England. Its source river, above the tidal limit at Stoke Bridge, is known as the River Gipping. It broadens into an estuary at Ipswich where the Ipswich dock has operated since the 7th century and then flows into the North Sea at Felixstowe...
which has been used for trade since at least the 8th Century. A wet dock
Wet dock
A wet dock is a dock where the level of water in the dock is maintained despite the raising and lowering of the tide. This makes transfer of cargo easier. It works like a lock which controls the water level and allows passage of ships.-External links:...
was constructed in 1842 which was 'the biggest enclosed dock in the kingdom' at the time. A major regeneration of the area has taken place since 1999.
History
Early period
A dock was in operation in Ipswich on a bend in the River OrwellRiver Orwell
The River Orwell flows through the county of Suffolk in England. Its source river, above the tidal limit at Stoke Bridge, is known as the River Gipping. It broadens into an estuary at Ipswich where the Ipswich dock has operated since the 7th century and then flows into the North Sea at Felixstowe...
in the 8th century, and was probably established during the 7th century under the protection of the ruling house of the Kingdom of East Anglia, which reached its summit under King Raedwald
Raedwald of East Anglia
Rædwald ; also Raedwald or Redwald, was a 7th century king of East Anglia, a long-lived Anglo-Saxon kingdom which today includes the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. He was the son of Tytila of East Anglia and a member of the Wuffingas dynasty , who were the first rulers of the East Angles...
. The importance of this dock, and the surrounding town which served it, has been recognized through excavation over the past fifty years. The early town of Ipswich (then called Gipeswic), centred upon the quay, extended over more than 52 hectares, the area later enclosed by the Viking age
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
ramparts (which curtailed the Anglo-Saxon township), making it one of the largest new early post-Roman townships and emporia
Emporia (early medieval)
The term 'emporia' is applied to trading settlements which emerged in north-western Europe in the sixth to seventh centuries, and persisted into the ninth century...
in northern Europe. Imported pottery of Rhenish Merovingian types, imported lava quern-stone
Quern-stone
Quern-stones are stone tools for hand grinding a wide variety of materials. They were used in pairs. The lower, stationary, stone is called a quern, whilst the upper, mobile, stone is called a handstone...
s and barrel-timbers dendro-dated to 8th century Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and finds of continental coinage such as 'porcupine sceattas' indicate trade through the Rhine port towns including Domburg
Domburg
Domburg is a seaside resort on the North Sea, on the northwest coast of Walcheren in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Veere, and lies about 11 km northwest of the city of Middelburg, the provincial capital.-Demographics:...
, Dorestad
Dorestad
In the Early Middle Ages, Dorestad was the largest settlement of northwestern Europe. It was a large, flourishing trading place, three kilometers long, situated where the rivers Rhine and Lek diverge southeast of Utrecht in the Netherlands near the modern town of Wijk bij Duurstede...
and Andernach
Andernach
Andernach is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of currently about 30,000 inhabitants. It is situated towards the end of the Neuwied basin on the left bank of the Rhine between the former tiny fishing village of Fornich in the north and the mouth of the...
, as part of the cultural engagement of Anglo-Saxon England with the Frisian
Frisians
The Frisians are a Germanic ethnic group native to the coastal parts of the Netherlands and Germany. They are concentrated in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen and, in Germany, East Frisia and North Frisia, that was a part of Denmark until 1864. They inhabit an area known as Frisia...
, Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
, Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
c, Saxon, Thuringian
Thuringii
The Thuringii or Toringi were a Germanic tribe which appeared late during the Völkerwanderung in the Harz Mountains of central Germania around 280, in a region which still bears their name to this day — Thuringia. They evidently filled a void left when the previous inhabitants — the...
and Burgundian worlds. The important 'Ipswich Ware' pottery industry, established in the town's north-east quarter probably in the late 7th century, reflected shapes and kiln technologies based on Frisian prototypes, either in imitation of imports arriving at the quay or set up by migrant Frisian workers. The Gipeswic dock was therefore the trade capital of the East Anglian Kingdom, situated not far from its royal centre at Rendlesham and Sutton Hoo
Sutton Hoo
Sutton Hoo, near to Woodbridge, in the English county of Suffolk, is the site of two 6th and early 7th century cemeteries. One contained an undisturbed ship burial including a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artefacts of outstanding art-historical and archaeological significance, now held in the British...
. During the 7th and 8th centuries the two greatest English ports were York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
(Eoforwic) and London, and two principal new ports were Gipeswic in the east and Hamwic (Southampton) in the south. Like Hamwih, Gipeswic dock was therefore a point of departure and arrival for continental travel.
The early waterfront of Ipswich Dock ran from approximately St Peter's Church, near the present Stoke Bridge, eastward behind the present quay or marina embankment and past the present Custom House. It lay originally nearer to the line of College Street and Salthouse Street, with new revetments being built successively further out into the river in order to achieve a sufficient depth of water for ships to moor, as the earlier embankments became silted. The area between the road and the quay, formerly occupied by warehouses and now by new building developments, represents this area of successive embankments built upon river-mud. An extensive area of early Medieval waterfront construction was found by excavation during recent works to demolish the old industrial waterfront, and showed the footings of many projecting boardwalks, in a similar way to the contemporary waterfront at Dorestad, one of its principal trading partners in those times.
The original crossing was a ford, east of Stoke Bridge, linking Great Whip Street (on the south bank) with Foundation Street to the north, which then immediately branched into Lower Brook Street. The area north of the road, between St Peter's church and St Mary-at-Quay (and east of that), is thought to represent the site of the Anglo-Saxon industrial waterfront development. Its first urban catchment area extended north up to Falcon Street, Old Cattle Market, Dog's Head Street and Tacket Street, with burial grounds on rising land to the north. Probably during the 8th century the Stoke Bridge crossing was created, establishing the importance of St Peter's Street as the main northern route, and urban expansion spread over the burial grounds north to include the street called Buttermarket, the Cornhill area, and the line of the prehistoric road now represented by Westgate Street, Tavern Street and Carr Street. Discoveries of early sceattas in this area, and a dedication to St Mildred, suggest that this new layout was planned during the reigns of Kings Ealdwulf
Ealdwulf of East Anglia
Ealdwulf or Aldwulf was an obscure King of East Anglia who reigned from 663 to around 713.Ealdwulf's reign of forty-nine years was extraordinary in length: only Ethelbald of Mercia's and Offa of Mercia's reigns are comparable...
(664-713) and his son AElfwald
Aelfwald of East Anglia
Ælfwald was a 8th-century king of East Anglia, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom that today includes the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The last king of the Wuffingas dynasty, Ælfwald succeeded his father Ealdwulf, who had ruled for forty-nine years. Ælfwald himself ruled for thirty-six years...
(713-749). The street plan represented by this early Medieval development still largely survives in use in the modern town of Ipswich, and is one of the oldest post-Roman street-plans to survive anywhere in Europe. Both dock and town have remained in continuous use and occupation since that time.
In 991 a fleet of 93 Viking ship
Viking ship
Viking ships were vessels used during the Viking Age in Northern Europe. Scandinavian tradition of shipbuilding during the Viking Age was characterized by slender and flexible boats, with symmetrical ends with true keel. They were clinker built, which is the overlapping of planks riveted together...
s swept up the river Orwell and sacked the town.
During Edward III's reign Ipswich was one of the richest and most important ports in the country. Wool from Norfolk and Suffolk was in great demand by the weavers of Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. 300 ships massed in the river to carry soldiers to fight and win the battle of Cressy. In 1588 Ipswich built, fitted out and manned two ships to sail against the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
.
1700-1950
John KirbyJohn Kirby (topographer)
John Kirby was an English land surveyor and topographer. His book The Suffolk Traveller, first published in 1735, was the first single county road-book....
reported in 1732 that the trade in the town had recently reduced and that there had been 20 ships a year built in the town and having seen over 200 ships belonging to the town in the port during the winter.
The dock was 'improved' in 1805 and then in 1837 an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
allowed the Ipswich Dock Commissioners to construct a new wet dock
Wet dock
A wet dock is a dock where the level of water in the dock is maintained despite the raising and lowering of the tide. This makes transfer of cargo easier. It works like a lock which controls the water level and allows passage of ships.-External links:...
whilst also placing certain conditions on them. In addition to building the wet dock and providing a diversion for the river Orwell along a 'New Cut' to the west of the dock the commissioners were to allow all persons, with cattle and carriages, may thereby have free access to the dock and quays and the sides of the said new cut and channel and also to contribute to the health and recreation of the inhabitants [of Ipswich]. The Ipswich Dock Commission was provided with investment of £25,000 and the right to borrow a further £100,000 but needed a further loan of £20,000 and also an additional levy of six pence per tonne on all imported coal to fund the project. The dock opened in 1842; the original lock gates entered the dock from the New Cut opposite Felaw Street. The new custom house
Custom House
A custom house or customs house was a building housing the offices for the government officials who processed the paperwork for the import and export of goods into and out of a country. Customs officials also collected customs duty on imported goods....
(now known as the 'Old Custom House') was completed in 1845.
The Ipswich Docks Act of 1877 allowed for the construction of a new lock in their present position to facilitate access to the dock and allow trams to operate along the length of the 'Island' between New Cut and the dock. The new lock gates were constructed by the time of the 1898 Act which authorised the construction of a swing bridge.
Ipswich Docks Act of 1913 allowed for the construction of a new entrance to the docks comprising inner and outer gates and a swing bridge, a quay and various tramways and also allowed for the 'stopping off' of various rights of way. There was however a condition that work had to be completed within 10 years and following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
an extension was granted by an Act of Parliament in 1918.
1950-present day
The Ipswich Dock Act 1971 authorised the development of the West Bank to allow ro-ro ships to dock. The Ipswich Dock Commission was reconstituted as the Ipswich Port Authority in 1973 when the first stage of the development was completed, further work was carried out in 1977 and 1979 and then again in 1998.In 1997 the port was sold by Ipswich Ports Ltd to Associated British Ports. In 1998 new facilities were constructed for handling grain and timber followed by a Timber Treatment Centre in 1999. A new 7,500 square metre bulk storage shed with equipment for bagging and blending of fertilizers and other bulk products was then developed in the site of Cliff Quay Power Station
Cliff Quay Power Station
Cliff Quay Power Station was a coal-fired power station situated to the south of Ipswich, Suffolk in the East of England. The station was designed by Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners and built by the Cleveland Bridge Company...
. In 2000 there were a number of further developments; a £1.9million agribulk storage facility opened; new automated lock gates were completed; a 180 berth Ipswich Haven Marina opened and the Old Custom House was refurbished and restored with the former bonded warehouse on the ground floor converted into the 'Waterfront Conference Centre'.
Many new buildings have been constructed along the northern and eastern quays since 1995. The Salthouse Hotel, the town's only 4 star hotel, opened in 2003 and was extended in 2009. The University Campus Suffolk
University Campus Suffolk
University Campus Suffolk ' is an educational institution located in the county of Suffolk, United Kingdom that welcomed its first students in September 2007. Until then Suffolk was one of only three counties in England which did not have a University campus...
opened on the waterfront in 2008 with further construction in progress in 2010. A 23 story 234 ft tall landmark building which was 'topped out' in late 2008 by town's member of parliament, Chris Mole
Chris Mole
Christopher David "Chris" Mole is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Ipswich from a by-election in 2001, after the death of Jamie Cann, and was re-elected in 2005...
and Dance East opened their new £8.9m Jerwood DanceHouse in 2009 within the building.
The Waterfront
There are a number of activities around of the dock area including:- The Jerwood Dance Centre (on the ground floor of 'The Mill' - a 23 story 'landmark' building)
- The Old Custom House (grade II listed with a new conference centre on the ground floor and the offices of Associated British Ports above)
- Salthouse Harbour Hotel
- The University Campus SuffolkUniversity Campus SuffolkUniversity Campus Suffolk ' is an educational institution located in the county of Suffolk, United Kingdom that welcomed its first students in September 2007. Until then Suffolk was one of only three counties in England which did not have a University campus...
- Holy Trinity Church
- The 'Orwell Lady' runs excursions within the Orwell Estuary from the waterfront
- A variety of restaurants and bars
National Cycle Route 1 and National Cycle Route 51 pass along the waterfront. Ipswich Waterfront Action (previously known as the Ipswich Waterfront Community Group) has been working for a friendly, thriving and vibrant community on the Ipswich Waterfront since 2007.
The Port of Ipswich
The dock is owned by Associated British Ports who operate both the 'West Bank' terminal (to the west of the New Cut) and 'Cliff Quay' (to the east of the Orwell). West Bank has two transit sheds totaling 6,377 sq m, plus areas available for open storage and operates a ro-ro service. Cliff Quay handles and stores liquid and dry bulks and has 67,583 sq m of covered storage and additional open storage. There is a daily freight ferry service linking Ipswich with the Port of RotterdamPort of Rotterdam
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe, located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004 it was the world's busiest port, now overtaken by first Shanghai and then Singapore...
. The container terminal is equipped to handle all types of containers and can also accept out-of-gauge and heavy lift cargoes and is equipped to accommodate short to mid-sea operations.
There is also the Ipswich Haven Marina with mooring for 250 private boats, a chandler and two boatbuilders (Fairline Yachts and Spirit Yachts).
Duke Street Junction Improvements
Suffolk County Council has proposed plans to reduce congestion in the Duke Street-Fore Hamlet area, this is to be achieved through work on the junctions and rights of way along the route. The scheme is funded through the Community Infrastructure FundCommunity Infrastructure Fund
Community Infrastructure Fund is a UK government initiative created as a joint venture by the Department for Transport and the Department for Communities and Local Government., it was created following the recommendation of the Barker Review of Housing Supply.CIF was created to fund transport...
, as it will improve connections to and from the redeveloped waterfront area. Construction is expected to start in spring/summer 2010.
Though the funding is already allocated, the exact plans are still not finalised. The plans include replacing the Duke Street roundabout with a signalled junction with changes to the access onto/off of Back Hamlet and Duke Street, the changes to access will be no entry from Back Hamlet to Fore Street and Fore Hamlet meaning that traffic will flow more smoothly as there will be no interruptions in flow caused by vehicles entering from Back Hamlet; the other change to access will be from Duke Street which will either be closed to non-buses past Coprolite Street, or no right turns from Duke Street onto Fore Hamlet. The pedestrian crossing facilities in the area will also be modernised including implementing bus priority
Bus priority
Bus priority or transit signal priority is a name for various techniques to speed up bus public transport services at intersections with traffic signals amongst other methods. Trams and light rail vehicles can also be given priority...
measures. Cycle lanes will be added, and the pavement widened along Fore Hamlet, with a bus lane being added to either Fore Hamlet or Pownall Road.
Ipswich Wet Dock Crossing
The Borough Council has proposed to build a new road across the entrance to the Ipswich dock. The route is from Hollywells Road across a swing-bridge by the lock gates and then across the New Cut to Hawes Street. The stated objective is to "reduce congestion on the Star Lane/College Street gyratory and support pedestrian and cyclists". The scheme is included in the draft Local Development Framework (September 2009) at an estimated cost of £28 million and a completion date of 2018. Ipswich Borough Council highlights significant uncertainties about the deliverability of this road and indicates that the Wet Dock Crossing and the Northern Bypass could be mutually exclusive transport schemes. However this scheme is not supported by Suffolk County Council (who are the transport authority) and they do not include it in their 2006-2011 Suffolk Local Transport Plan or their plans for the subsequent Local Transport Plan. The Ipswich Waterfront study completed in 2006 for the county council also recommended that traffic demand management on the Star Lane/College Street should be tackled urgently without waiting for a new crossing. The Waterfront study estimated the cost at £60m and the county council estimate it at £79m.Restricted Byways
Suffolk County Council have created legal orders to create a number of restricted byways around the waterfront.Ipswich Waterfront Action
The Waterfront Action (previously known as the Ipswich Waterfront Community Group) was established in 2007 as a community initiative with the purpose of working towards a friendly, thriving and vibrant community on the Ipswich Waterfront. The organisation was set up by the Ipswich Waterfront Churches. A constitutionConstitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
has been drawn up so that funding can be sought to push the work forward.
Waterfront Action has organised several successful events which were held to help develop a relational and vibrant Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
Waterfront Community for both residents and visitors.
Historical plans
- Dock Plans
- Proposed Improvement of the River Orwell 1804 (ref. 150/8/6.9-IRO)
- Plan of the Proposed Wet Dock 1836 (ref:150/8/6.9-IRO and HC/CL/PB/6/plan1837/78-HOL)
- Plan of Wet Dock 1843 (ref. 150/8/6.9-IRO)
- Ipswich Dock Plan 1875 (ref. 150/8/6.10-IRO)
- Dock Plans 1877 (ref 150/8/6.12-IRO and HL/PO/CB/3/plan1877/I3-HOL)
- Dock Plans 1898 (ref. 150/8/6.14-IRO)
- Dock Plans 1904 (ref. 150/8/6.15-IRO)
- Dock Plans 1913 (ref 150/8/6.16 – IRO)
- Dock Plans 1918 (ref. 150/8/6.17-IRO)
- Railway plans
- Eastern Union RailwayEastern Union RailwayThe Eastern Union Railway was an early English railway, initially sanctioned by Act of Parliament on 19 July 1844, with authorised capital of £200,000 to build from Ipswich to Colchester. Further Acts of 21 July 1845 and 26 June 1846 authorised further increases in capital of £50,000 and £20,000...
from Colchester to Ipswich 1843 (ref. 150/2/5.59-IRO) - Proposed Railway from Colchester to Ipswich 1843 (ref. 150/2/5.240-IRO) (rival plans which were not constructed)
- Great Eastern RailwayGreat Eastern RailwayThe Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
1876 (ref. 150/2/5.228-IRO) - Great Eastern Railway 1898 (ref. 150/2/5.214-IRO)
- Great Eastern Railway 1901 (ref. 150/2/5.218-IRO)
- Great Eastern Railway 1913 (ref. 150/2/51229-IRO)
- Eastern Union Railway
Legislation
- Ipswich Dock Act 1837
- Ipswich Dock Act 1852
- Ipswich Dock Act 1877
- Ipswich Dock Act 1898
- Ipswich Dock Act 1913
- Ipswich Dock Act 1918
- The Ipswich Dock Revision Order 1969 (Statutory Instrument 1969/1521)
- Ipswich Dock Act 1971
- Ipswich Port Authority Act 1979
- Ipswich Port Authority Act 1986
- The Port of Ipswich (Transfer of Undertaking) Harbour Revision Order 2002