Plans for a new Waterfront bridge worth more than £7 million have been approved by Suffolk County Council.

The Prince Philip Lock Bridge will be built at the town's Wet Dock Project and will be for pedestrians and cyclists only.

Ipswich Star: The bridge will create a circular route around Ipswich Wet Dock. Credit: NewsquestThe bridge will create a circular route around Ipswich Wet Dock. Credit: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

It will cost £6 million plus a further £1.31m secured from the government's Town Deal Funding.

The bridge will create a circular route around Ipswich Wet Dock, providing public access to the Ipswich Island site and helping facilitate the "broader regeneration of Ipswich Waterfront".

It will also link in with established Public Rights of Way, most notably the link to Helena Road.

The decision to approve the project was made at a Council Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Details of design and delivery mechanisms will now need to be confirmed by the Council before work can begin.

Speaking prior to Tuesday's meeting, Cllr Paul West, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for Ipswich, operational highways and flooding, said: "Our driving force behind these plans have focussed heavily on the council’s key objectives to improve the health and wellbeing of our residents, strengthen Suffolk’s economy, protecting and enhancing our environment and ultimately provide value for money for the taxpayer.

"I am in full support of these plans and am confident in the long term they will improve accessibility, decrease journey times, reinvigorate the local environment and ultimately support with our aims of reducing carbon.

Ipswich Star: Cllr Paul West. Credit: Rachel EdgeCllr Paul West. Credit: Rachel Edge (Image: Newsquest)

The project will benefit from the wider regeneration fund worth £10.8 million.

£2.8m has been reserved for a New Cut Bridge which will also be located on the Waterfront.

However, with this project being larger than the Prince Philip Lock crossing, the Council says it will need external funding before work can begin.

The remaining £2 million has been earmarked to deliver on a range of recommendations for Ipswich which have come forward from the Ipswich Policy Development Panel - which was also approved on Tuesday.