Urgent repairs needed at St Nicholas Church, Ipswich, due to structural decay

Urgent repairs are needed at an Ipswich church due to structural decay.

Plans have been submitted to Ipswich Borough Council, seeking to undertake strengthening works to the inner side of the tower at St Nicholas Church, in Fransiscan Way.

Planning documents said the work would be essential to fix the top of the tower, which has become unstable and could pose a risk of falling masonry in the event of high winds.

The project would involve rebuilding the pinnacles at the top of the tower, which are currently heavily cracked, and the corners of parapets, which have come apart.

In addition, the inside of the tower would be lined with brick, the existing lead roof would be replaced, stonework and broken louvres would be repaired, access would be improved and loose material would be re-faced.

This followed an inspection on October 23, which found significant problems with the condition with the corners of the 66 foot tower.

Substantial restoration work at the church was done in the 1880s, a report said.

Scaffolding is currently up and the base of the tower has been cordoned off in case stonework begins to fall, planning documents said.

The proposals will go before planners soon.