Festival organisers have set out its vision to restore the space where Led Zeppelin played into a full time venue to add a "valuable stepping stone" to the town's music offering.

The former St Matthew's Baths in Civic Drive has doubled as a swimming pool and a concert hall before, starting in the 1960s and 70s.

Boards were laid over the pool for visits by top names including rock gods Led Zeppelin in 1971.

The Baths were closed in 1984, and since September 2021, the building has opened as a live music venue on an occasional basis, with events held under a Temporary Event Notice (TEN).

Now, a planning application has been submitted to Ipswich Borough Council hoping to turn the building into a permanent venue for live music, with space for the education and training of up-and-coming young artists.

The Baths in Civic Drive has been used as a pop-up venue for live music many times over the years.The Baths in Civic Drive has been used as a pop-up venue for live music many times over the years. (Image: Newsquest) It is hoped that permanently converting the Baths will be a 'game-changer' for Ipswich. Pictured, a performer wows crowd's in St Stephen's Church during last year's Brighten The Corners Festival.It is hoped that permanently converting the Baths will be a 'game-changer' for Ipswich. Pictured, a performer wows crowd's in St Stephen's Church during last year's Brighten The Corners Festival. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Plans show that the ground floor would comprise a stage, a bar area and a green room, having capacity for 300 people. The first floor would be used as an educational space, which would include an XR studio, a podcast recording area and a video productions space.

The proposal was submitted by Joe Bailey, director of the Brighten The Corners Festival.

In June, music lovers flocked to Ipswich for the two-day festival, with artists playing at the Smokehouse, the Corn Exchange, the Cornhill, St Stephen’s Church and the Baths.  

Mr Bailey said that he believes converting the Baths into a permanent music venue has the potential to become a “game-changer for the town, even more impactful than St Stephens Church”.

The use of St Stephen's Church as a live music venue has already been heralded as a roaring success for Ipswich. The use of St Stephen's Church as a live music venue has already been heralded as a roaring success for Ipswich. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Mr Bailey said: “We have seen a great growth in appetite for live music since opening The Smokehouse in 2016 and our first festival in 2019. This application is to help ensure the venue can run more events, safely, efficiently and add to the cultural economy in the town.

“The venue will enable larger artists to come to Ipswich who would not normally be able to perform here, and adds a valuable stepping stone between the current live music offer in town.

“It will also offer opportunities for volunteering, skills training and employment in sound, lighting, production and marketing roles.

“We will be able to complete the journey for aspiring artists through to national bands, completing a pathway from The Smokehouse to St Stephens Church, The Baths and then onto The Corn Exchange and Regent.”

Ipswich Borough Council sets an automatic eight-week target date for a decision on all applications it receives. This application has been given a date of October 31.