NEXT, Westgate Street Ipswich

A group of Victorian buildings housing a series of small shops and offices concealed the walls of Seckford Palace. This large and distinguished Tudor house had once been set in its own grounds on what were then the outskirts of the town and had rivalled the nearby Christchurch Mansion as a display of wealth and influence.

The historical significance of the site and the complexity of the later buildings were such that a total of eleven separate planning permissions and other consents were required before work could begin on site. The location of the site is such, however, that an ambitious scheme was justifiable in order to increase the retail floor area and attract national operators such as NEXT and MONSOON.