Reviewing Felixstowe: the North Felixstowe Design Panel

Following a few years of being part of the Watford Placemaking Review Panel, in the summer of 2024 I was asked by Frame Projects to attend (what I thought was) a one-off Design Review Panel for Suffolk County Council for design proposals at North Felixstowe. 

Felixstowe is a familiar town to me, being a regular destination for seaside visits with my young family. But having the insight of planning a substantial new residential development there brought an additional aspect to my knowledge of the town; it had never struck me how the town is actually quite isolated. It’s at the end of a strategic arterial road – the A14, with the town accommodating one of the largest container ports in Europe.

But this also gives a sense of self-containment to the community in Felixstowe. Taking the lead for the masterplanning process, East Suffolk Council is promoting the scheme, which would provide around 1,400 new dwellings, a new leisure centre, primary school, pedestrian, cycle and vehicular routes, whilst protecting existing woodland and providing new open recreational space.

Given the scale of the proposals, the review panel was a day-long session, which included a long walk around the site. I thoroughly enjoyed the day – learning about the proposals and having the opportunity to give strategic transport and access advice to help shape the proposals. The added population and new facilities to be delivered by the development proposals need to be sensitively managed, but give an opportunity to provide a new holistic approach to movement around the town, connecting not just the new residential areas, but considering how existing residents can be better connected to its long expanse of coastline, the town centre, the new leisure centre and the significant employment at the port.

The review panel took place at an early stage of the masterplanning process, which was hugely beneficial in giving a great opportunity for the its advice to be considered as the proposals are developed. I’m now delighted to say that I’ve been invited to join Frame Projects’ Suffolk Design Review Panel on a permanent basis – I look forward to the next review!