A contemporary office complex unveiled today in the heart of Ipswich has been hailed as part of the town’s “renaissance” and should act as a catalyst for further development.
For a decade the Grade II listed, 200-year-old building on Princes Street has stood derelict, but it has now been transformed into an industrial-style office space following a loan of £600,000 from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) Growing Places Fund.
Pertwee Estates led the £3.5 million development of the former Hollywood and Zest nightclub and Horizon Construction carried out the work, which began in April 2018 with the complete stripping out of the building to reveal its original structure.
The Maltings offers 24,000 square feet of modern office space and is situated in the Princes Street Enterprise Zone between the railway station and town centre. It is being officially opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Doug Field, Chair of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, and its first tenants will move in next month.
Mr Field said the LEP was delighted to support the restoration of such an important and historic building into an office development fit for modern business needs. Ipswich was a key LEP priority growth location and that was reflected in its support for The Maltings and other key local developments, along with the work of the Ipswich Vision Group.
“Our Growing Places Fund is expressly for this purpose and you need only look at developments like the Winerack, the Hold Heritage Centre, the Cornhill and, of course, The Maltings, to see its impact, alongside other very welcome investment in the area,” he said.
“The work and commitment of motivated businesspeople like Mark Pertwee is indicative of the approach being fostered through collaboration in the Ipswich Vision Group – a group that is really leading the way in Ipswich.
“The Maltings represents a boost in confidence for the town and should be a catalyst for future development projects in the area adjacent to the Princes Street Enterprise Zone. We at the LEP will do everything we can to support projects that continue this renaissance.”
Mark Pertwee, managing director of Pertwee Estates, said: “We are very proud of this project and believe it perfectly fits the vision of a post-industrial regeneration. This iconic Ipswich building is now leading the way in workplace design and performance.”
