The news that Ipswich Council is going to start Compulsory Purchase Order proceedings against the owners of the former Grimwades store on the Cornhill has been widely welcomed.

It is an eminently sensible move in the struggle to get something to happen to one of the most prominent buildings in the town centre that has been empty for more than a decade.

But no one should believe there are any quick fixes here - and even if everything goes as the council hopes it could be two or three years before the building is back in use.

Applying for a CPO is often seen as the "nuclear option" in planning rows - it's expensive, time-consuming and something only to be contemplated as a last resort.

The last time the borough did this to deal with a recalcitrant developer was in 2014 when it bought some buildings and land at the Waterfront.

The hope this time, as in 2014, is that the developer will climb down and accept the offer the borough has made for the building without the need for a lengthy and expensive court case.

If that happens, the council could have possession of the building by the end of this year. If it goes to court and the borough wins then that process could take at least a year - delaying any progress.

Usually these processes are settled before reaching court - and one does wonder what benefit there would be for a Dubai-based property company in going to court with a local council.

I've always been puzzled about why a Dubai company was so determined to hold on to a property thousands of miles away and expect to find a tenant prepared to pay a high rent and not sell any alcohol.

I suspect when their lawyers look at the case they will advise the owners to walk away from this deal as being just more trouble than it's worth!

But even if the council do take over by the end of this year there's still a long way to go before anything opens there.

Ipswich Star: Ipswich council leader Neil MacDonald

I'm told the building is basically sound - but as council leader Neil MacDonald pointed out the accessibility and safety requirements in a Victorian department store don't really pass muster in the 21st century.

There would have to be a lot of work to bring it up to modern standards - and that would cost the council quite a lot.

Then there would need to be a search for a tenant. Again, I'm told a number of "big names" have expressed an interest in the building - and it does seem that its best use would probably be as a restaurant/bar.

But there's a big difference between "expressing an interest" and signing a long-term deal to take over a premises.

And anyone moving in would need to kit it out, recruit staff, and ensure everything works properly.

Knowing how long all these processes take, I really cannot see anyone moving in until Christmas 2025 at the earliest.

However when something does happen there it should be a big boost for the area - the Cornhill really does look down-at-heel with the old Debenhams still empty as well as Grimwades.

What this CPO does is show the town - and other property owners - that the council is now serious about getting something to happen in the heart of Ipswich.

I know it's stating the obvious but the town centre is down-at-heel. It desperately needs investment and this statement of intention by the council is very welcome.

But it's no quick fix - and it will be some years before Ipswich town centre can really be expected to be anything like the vibrant hub of the community that we all want to see.