Destination Norwich Road

Ipswich Borough Council
Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality
Community Praxis
Suffolk Constabulary
Coes of Ipswich
Firebrand Graphic Design

The Norwich Road in Ipswich is at once a focal point for multicultural and diverse communities within the town and at the same time an area which is perceived to be problematical and even dangerous. A fairly rapid influx of people from many different ethnic backgrounds to the area resulted in a social scene which was vibrant but one which many established Ipswich residents found unsettling. In addition, racial and cultural tensions within the area have resulted in reports of anti-social behaviour.

The poor reputation of the Norwich Road was a problem that Ipswich Borough Council felt ought to be addressed not only due to its adverse effect on local residents but also as a main ‘gateway’ into Ipswich, the throughfare itself was a poor introduction for visitors to the town.

Barefoot & Gilles provides pro bono advice on housing, planning and other environmental issues to local charities and community groups. As part of this involvement the Council invited us to join a team local residents, representatives from the Borough, and other stakeholders to produce a series of firm proposals to improve the image of Norwich Road. The project overall was part of a national initiative funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

As architects our involvement centred on improvements to the physical appearance of the shopfronts, hard landscaping, and street furniture. In this way, the efforts to improve relations between the various cultural groups could be expressed in an uplift in the physical environment.

The intention of the ‘Destination Norwich Road’ concept was to create a clear identity for a very specific stretch of the Road itself. A series of simple, cost-effective but high profile improvements was put forward together with a suggested process by which the shopfronts could be improved with minimal involvement from disinterested landlords.

Barefoot & Gilles instigated a series of public consultations and received positive feedback from local residents and tradespeople. The project seemed destined to make an impact but Covid seriously curtailed progress on this community project. It is likely, however, that momentum will shortly be regained.