Owners of unsafe tower block want to knock it down

The owners of a tower block that stands empty because of safety issues have applied for planning permission to knock it down.

Cardinal Lofts in Ipswich was evacuated in 2023 after a fire service report deemed it unsafe.

An application has been lodged with Ipswich Borough Council by Grey GR, the building's freeholder. It is unlikely a decision will be made until after the local elections in May.

The BBC understands negotiations are ongoing with the leaseholders of a number of flats in the building, including one who owns multiple properties, about buying them out.

Cardinal Lofts, near the Waterfront in Ipswich, is a 10-storey building with 80 flats. Investigations found it had multiple safety problems.

Grey GR believes it would cost too much to repair the building and has been trying to reach agreements with flat owners.

A planning statement said: "The building no longer offers a viable basis for repair or long-term retention.

"Demolition is therefore considered the only reasonable and responsible course of action to remove the existing safety risks and enable the future redevelopment of the site."

The building would be demolished entirely "in a controlled top-down sequence, dismantling the building floor by floor," according to the planning document.

Precautions would need to be taken to stop contaminated water entering the nearby marina.

A spokesperson for Grey GR said: "All leaseholders and relevant stakeholders have been notified about the proposal and served with a notice.

"As the application progresses, we will continue to work with the few remaining leaseholders to find a way forward for everyone, while remaining in close contact with the local authorities."

In October 2025 people were warned about trespassing inside Cardinal Lofts, with Grey GR calling it "an ongoing challenge".

Ipswich's Labour MP, Jack Abbott, said: "Unfortunately, there is no realistic prospect of Cardinal Lofts returning to use given the fundamental and irrevocable safety issues that exist.

"The only realistic way forward is to demolish the building so we can redevelop the land and start afresh.

"There are still some issues that need to be ironed out, but I hope that in the near future we can put this terrible saga behind us and move forward positively."

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