Ipswich council bids for government cash to help northern fringe bridges

Government cash could help finance two new bridges and the creation of a new country park as part of the Ipswich Garden Suburb on the northern fringe of the town (September 28th).The borough council is applying for support from the government for cash – which would ultimately help to secure a greater number of affordable homes to be built as part of the development.It is seeking funding from the government’s Department of Communities’ and Local Government which has created a £2.3bn fund to support new infrastructure to enable up to 100,000 new homes to be built across the country.The limit for individual applications is £10m – and the borough wants the government to make the grant because it hopes this will enable it to persuade developers to put more money into affordable housing on the 3,500-home development.If successful the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund would help to fund a road bridge across the East Suffolk rail line, a pedestrian/footbridge across the line, and the creation of a new country park to act as a buffer between Ipswich and the village of Westerfield.The council is hoping that up to 35% of the homes across the Ipswich Garden Suburb will be affordable – be available to rent through housing associations or the council itself or be offered for sale as a part sale/part rent deal.