A COMPANY which is bringing a huge jobs boost to Ipswich today outlined its plans for its future in the town.Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is planning to almost double its Ipswich workforce from a little over 100 to around 200 during the next two to three years.

A COMPANY which is bringing a huge jobs boost to Ipswich today outlined its hopes for its future in the town.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is planning to almost double its Ipswich workforce from a little over 100 to around 200 during the next two to three years.

The company is expanding following the national growth of the cruise line industry and has committed itself to staying in Ipswich by planning to build a £10million eco-friendly headquarters on Scrivener Drive in Pinewood.

Wendy Hooper-Greenhill, publicity manager with Fred. Olsen, which is currently based on White House Road, off Norwich Road, said: “The state of the cruise industry is growing at the moment which is great.

“We've grown from one ship to four and we take on our fifth ship at the end of the year.

“With growth comes more employees and we're simply bursting at the seams now. We like Ipswich; it's proved to be a tremendous base for us.”

Mrs Hooper-Greenhill said employees were excited about the thought of working in a sate-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly building with a grass roof.

She said: “Mr Olsen is a great supporter of the environment. Being faced with a blank canvass with a place of land to build on he thought, fantastic, we can make this a really eco-friendly building which will serve the employees well and do our little bit for the planet.”

She said the planned new building would include a renewable energy ground source, water recycling, wood from sustainable forests and solar windows.

The plans for the building, on a plot of land owned by Fred. Olsen, went on display today at The Holiday Inn hotel on London Road, Ipswich between 10am and 12.30am.

If that consultation is judged to have been a success the company then plans to put in a planning application to Babergh District Council and hopes to have the building ready to move into by spring 2009.

John Dugmore, chief executive of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said: “The expansion of Fred. Olsen is great news, not only for Ipswich, but also for the county as a whole.

“It's pleasing to see that a company like Fred. Olsen, that started in Ipswich, is showing its faith in the town by continuing to build and grow - evidence that the county town and the wider county is going through a renaissance.”

Are you pleased to hear about the new jobs? Do you think Ipswich is on the up? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.