Fire safety work starts at waterfront development

Scaffolding has gone up around buildings on a town's waterfront as part of fire safety work.

Cladding on buildings at Regatta Quay, Ipswich, Suffolk, will be replaced to meet regulations, with some windows being upgraded, according to planning documents.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said it was working with the development's owners after some cladding was found to be non-compliant.

It came after planning permission was granted in 2024 for cladding replacement across other parts of the development.

The latest planning application said all existing brickwork at lower levels will be removed and dark copper cladding installed, whilst windows at higher levels will be replaced with ones less likely to leak with greater wind resistance.

The Regatta Quay development is one of the latest sites in Ipswich to undergo fire safety improvements.

Residents at the nearby Cardinal Lofts were forced to leave their homes after serious defects were found.

People living in St Francis Tower also had to move out after a water leak in the tower block flooded much of the building, which is also undergoing cladding repairs. They are due to return in 2025.

The planning application for the latest works was lodged in April 2024 and has yet to be decided upon by Ipswich Borough Council.

Regatta Quay is owned by Regatta Holdings Ltd, which the BBC has been unable to contact.

However, its planning agent, and the firm hired for the work, have been contacted for comment.

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