Ipswich Borough Council has acquired Waterloo House, the former Debenhams building on the Cornhill – which has been vacant since 2021 – as part of its commitment to revitalise Ipswich town centre.
Waterloo House occupies a key position at the centre of the town centre. The council believes that leaving the building vacant would continue to undermine confidence, weaken the trading environment for nearby businesses, deter investment and reduce the impact of the wider regeneration work already taking place around the Cornhill.
The strongest emerging approach is a developer-led design competition to identify a partner capable of designing, funding and delivering a viable mixed-use redevelopment of the site. Unlike a traditional architectural design competition, where architects submit concepts for consideration, a developer-led design competition invites full development teams to come forward with proposals that they can design, fund, secure planning permission for and ultimately deliver.
Developers would work alongside architects, planners, cost consultants, funders and delivery partners to submit comprehensive proposals. The successful bidder would not simply be selected on the quality of the design, but on their ability to demonstrate that the scheme is financially viable, deliverable and capable of securing the investment needed to bring it forward.
This approach reduces the risk of selecting an attractive but undeliverable scheme and instead helps identify a preferred development partner that can take the project through planning, funding and construction.
The long-term ambition is to create a modern mixed-use development that supports a thriving town centre, brings more activity to the Cornhill, and improves connectivity across the town centre.
The acquisition has been funded through the government’s Local Regeneration Fund (formerly the Towns Fund).
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Cllr Neil MacDonald, leader of Ipswich Borough Council, said: “Waterloo House is one of the most important buildings in Ipswich town centre, but for too long it has stood empty in a location that should be full of life.
“We have already invested in improving the public realm, bringing empty buildings back into use and supporting new businesses and attractions. Acquiring Waterloo House will now allow us to tackle one of the biggest remaining challenges in the town centre.
“This is about taking direct action where the market has not delivered. By bringing the site into Council ownership, we can remove a long-standing blight, unlock future redevelopment and create an opportunity for something much better for Ipswich.
“Our ambition is to work with future development partners to deliver a scheme that meets the needs of Ipswich, supports economic growth and contributes to a vibrant town centre that residents can be proud of.”
Jack Abbott MP, Member of Parliament for Ipswich, said:
“The acquisition of Waterloo House is another important step in the wider regeneration and investment programme of Ipswich’s town centre. It sits in a pivotal location, but this empty building has left a scar on our high street for half a decade and I know how desperately local residents want it to be given a new lease of life.
“With that in mind, I am delighted Ipswich Borough Council are using Government funding to take ownership of the building as a flagship project for the town centre’s regeneration.
“I am clear that the aim cannot simply be to replace an empty building – we must create a vibrant, sustainable and attractive destination in the heart of our town that supports the future growth and prosperity of Ipswich.”
Image: Ipswich Borough Council
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