Work to restore one of the best-known - and most neglected - landmarks in Ipswich could start as early as next year.
Plans to redevelop the former Tolly Cobbold site on Cliff Quay could be discussed by planners at Ipswich Council before Christmas.
And if they give the go ahead, the restoration of the first two parts of the site could start early next year.
Ipswich businessman and care home owner Mac Khan wants to turn the former brewery into an 80-unit retirement development and has been in talks with the borough about his plans for two years.
And he's planning to show off his proposals to the public at an exhibition at St Clement's Church near the Waterfront at the end of the month.
Mr Khan has already developed the Westerfield Care Village off Humber Doucy Lane and is hoping to complete a similar project at Cliff Quay.
It will also have a restaurant open to the general public and a museum showing the history of the building and its place in Ipswich life.
Mr Khan said: "We have been working with the borough planning officers in drawing up these plans and we hope people like what they see."
The development would be phased - the first parts of the site to be restored are likely to be the Cottage and the former Brewery Tap pub.
Mr Khan said this would include the public restaurant whose opening would help to provide an income to help drive the rest of the project.
Once work there is underway, attention will turn to the main brewery building which overlooks the Cliff Quay terminal of the Port of Ipswich.
The main building is in a poor state after the disastrous fire in February 2020.
That caused major damage and much of the brewing equipment that had been in the building has now been lost.
But the external walls are still in place - so the brewery retains its familiar appearance.
As well as converting the former brewery Mr Khan would also build another block of homes next to it to ensure that the development would be large enough to provide the facilities it needs.
The plans will be on show at St Clements between 10am and 4pm on Saturday, October 28, and visitors will be invited to fill in a short questionnaire to give their views on the proposed development.
Ipswich council leader Neil MacDonald said he was following developments with interest.
He said: "Mr Khan has successfully developed the Westerfield Care Village so he has a strong track record.
"We shall have to see what happens at planning but everyone wants to see the site restored so there will be a lot of interest in this."
A brewery was first built on the site in 1746 when Thomas Cobbold moved his business from Harwich to Ipswich to take advantage of the natural springs that also fed the ponds at Holywells Park.
The current brewery was built in the 1890s and started producing beer in 1896.
Tolly Cobbold was formed by the merger of the town's two breweries in 1957 and in 1961 all production was concentrated at Cliff Quay.
The brewery closed in 1989 - but reopened two years later after a management buyout.
But brewing finally ceased in 2002 when the new company was bought out by Ridleys. The Brewery Tap pub closed in 2017.
Since then there have been several attempts to redevelop the site - but none has succeeded until the arrival of Mr Khan.
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