Five projects set to regenerate the town centre in Ipswich are set to receive a grant of more than £5million. 

The projects selected by Ipswich Borough Council were chosen on the advice of an expert panel bringing extensive property investment, development and agency expertise and will be revealed at a later date.

£5.3million of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund will be allocated to the projects which propose to bring empty spaces back into use and increase the vitality of the town centre.

The grant will be used to help applicants to test the feasibility and full costs of each project before a panel determines whether a larger grant can be made to ensure the projects are completed. 

In papers to the council's executive on Tuesday, officers have recommended the council proceeds with the recommendations of the expert panel.

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Neil MacDonald, Leader of Ipswich Borough CouncilNeil MacDonald, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council (Image: Ipswich Borough Council)

The five projects have been selected from 21 proposals submitted to the council.

Ahead of  the discussions, Councillor Neil MacDonald, Ipswich Borough Council leader, said: "There are some very exciting projects being recommended by the expert panel and I look forward to being able to reveal them when further checks have been made on their viability.

"The Towns Fund programme is set to make a real difference to the town centre as work progresses on Greener Ipswich, Digital Ipswich, the development of Lloyds Avenue and now the Regeneration Fund. 

"These build on the previous projects at The Botanist, Suffolk New College and the University."

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David Ralph, the Town Deal and Ipswich Vision Board chair, said: "There were 21 applications to the Regeneration Fund and the best five have been selected by the expert panel. 

"I look forward to the projects coming to fruition and helping Ipswich to thrive."

Once the £5.3million has been awarded, Ipswich Borough Council will be left with an additional £5million to bring other buildings back into use. 

The council will focus on buildings not currently in their ownership which are considered to unlock the vitality of the town centre.