A campaign has been launched to preserve the "time capsule" frontage of the former Co-op building.
Permission was granted in October 2021 to build a primary school on the site of the former Co-op department store at 48 to 68 Carr Street.
The school will be run by ASSET Education Trust.
Bear Reid, 31, moved to Ipswich from Norfolk two years ago. Whilst he welcomes the building’s use as a school, Mr Reid has started a petition calling for its façade to be saved.
“It’s a time capsule,” he said. “It shows architectural styles, from Edwardian through to the 1920s and 30s.”
Mr Reid said that he understands that it may not be possible to save this particular part but hopes it can begin a discussion about promoting the best of the town.
The 31-year-old said he would love Ipswich residents to come together and join his ‘ideas club’, sharing suggestions as to how to make the town a better place for everyone.
“It would be nice to get a network of new and old Ipswich residents together, and for it to be really inclusive and open,” he said.
ASSET’s chief executive Clare Flintoff said that the trust was keen for the school to “foster links to its heritage.”
She said: “We are planning to use digital recordings of the heritage assets, such as the Co-op handshake logo and the motto at the top of the Carr Street entrance, as well as murals and architectural features, building them into our branding and our curriculum.
“This will preserve an important piece of Ipswich’s story and create a sense of place and belonging for our children.”
Local stakeholders are invited to share their views at a meeting at St Helen’s Primary School on February 21.
To book a place, visit: bit.ly/AssetFreeSchool
To join Mr Reid’s ‘Ipswich Ideas Club’ on Facebook, visit: www.facebook.com/groups/ipswichideasclub
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