Bramford's fire-ravaged Fisons factory causes resident resentment

The Grade II-listed former Fisons fertiliser factory has been targeted by vandals and trespassers

People living opposite a derelict Victorian fertiliser factory have called for action to be taken after another fire at the site.

The Grade II-listed former Fisons warehouse in Bramford, Ipswich, was destroyed by a blaze in May 2019.

There have since been frequent fires, with a neighbour on Paper Mill Lane saying he had tried to secure the gates after the latest blaze on Friday.

The BBC has attempted to contact owner Paper Mill Properties.

The original building dated back to 1858 and Fisons, a now defunct fertiliser company, operated at the site until 2003.

The building, which dated back to 1858, was gutted by fire - thought to be an arson attack - in May 2019

Rob Olson, who lives opposite, remembered the blaze back in 2019 as being ferocious and said he had been forced to live with the aftermath.

"It's not an exaggeration to say it was apocalyptic," he said.

• Listen: 'I just want it to be safe' - residents on their fears about the Fisons factory

He added he would prefer "anything but what's there at the moment - personally I just want it to be safe".

Mr Olson said he had been forced to put wire around the main gate after Friday's fire and it was "the only thing keeping it shut".

The site at Bramford, on the outskirts of Ipswich, has become overgrown

His neighbour, Paul McNally, had to claim on his insurance for a new roof following the major fire four years ago.

He said he hoped the council might be able to purchase the site in future.

"The building was fairly pleasant to look at - it was dilapidated, but it wasn't like that and we thought at least they'll develop it," he said.

"We're waiting for something to happen. It needs something done with it."

Fencing has been put up around the fire-ravaged site, with the remains of cast iron pillars left sticking out of the ground

In 2017, the Fisons factory was named one of the Victorian Society's top 10 endangered buildings.

Local campaigner Kelvin Dakin took up the cudgels to try to save the building and said it was a "very sorry sight".

"The campaign changed focus to hopefully get the site back into some kind of use rather than being derelict and a nuisance," he said.

"The lack of security - people get in quite easily.

"There are people living opposite who suffer noise and disturbance, there's fly-tipping that occurs in the gateways."

The buildings, seen here before the 2019 fire, fell into disrepair after tools were downed in 2003

Mid Suffolk District Council said it had been trying to work behind the scenes for several years with the site owner to "keep the site secure and safe and preserve any remaining previous heritage, as well as offering advice and support over potential development options".

It added: "We have done this by taking enforcement action when necessary, but given the significant cost to the taxpayer, we have to make sure that any further legal action is necessary, expedient and in the public interest.

"We understand the community's frustrations and will continue to try to find a way forward."

In 2014, a plan to turn the site into a £20m housing and business park was approved by councillors.