£900,000 revamp of Ipswich's Arras Square delayed amid concerns about 'criminal activity'
Suffolk Police want the council to look again at the plans, with calls for more to be done to tackle crime
Ipswich council has deferred the £900,000 renovation of Arras Square for further consideration amid police concerns.
The decision came at Wednesday’s planning and development committee meeting, and it was reached following growing concerns over criminal activity in the area.
Among the proposals, Arras Square will see new paving, drainage, trees, seating, and a new mural.
Earlier this week, news broke about requests issued by Suffolk Police in regards to the council’s plans.
In a letter, the force asked for several measures to be implemented including the installation of CCTV to cover the whole site, the reduction of available seating, additional lighting, and the protection of raised tombstones.
This, police believe, would prevent the area from being used for criminal activity, of which there were nearly 300 recorded cases since 2018.
Council officers will now further inverstigate the area and the proposals before making a decision when councillors next reconvene.