Plans to build a new four-storey education centre and motorcycle parking area will be discussed next week.

Suffolk New College's application to build a centre to teach Care and Health Sciences and a new motorcycle parking area will go before Ipswich Borough Council's planning and development committee on Wednesday.

Documents to the committee set out the centre, at the corner of Dove Street and Rope Walk, would be for a new course not currently offered elsewhere in Ipswich, with classrooms on three floors.

This broke down into a classroom, nursery, staff room and IT room on the ground floor. A further classroom, three-bed hospital ward and occupational therapy space on the first floor, two laboratories and a preparatory room on the second floor and a classroom on the third.

Each floor would be serviced by a stair, lift and toilets.

The proposed building would be four storeys high, with its highest roof measuring 11.2m, with the majority of the build at 8.6m.

Suffolk New College said the proposed building would be of a similar design to the approved development opposite.

The application said: "The new building would be used to deliver new courses that are currently not offered elsewhere in Ipswich and will be mainly higher education courses.

"This delivery will also prepare students for employment through both qualifications and skills and provide teaching facilities to allow students to thrive in a comfortable learning environment."

The application said the college is keen to secure relocation of the parking where there is better natural surveillance and reduce potential conflict between riders and pedestrians.

Planning documents to the committee said it acknowledged the development at Suffolk New College and the University of Suffolk are "vitally important" to the future well-being and prosperity of the town.

The report said the main considerations were the impact on the character and appearance of the area on nearby homes and businesses as well as access and parking.

The report said the proposal would be "acceptable in principle" and provide additional educational facilities at Suffolk New College.