Nine flats could be built over an Ipswich car park near the town centre.

Ipswich-based St Matthews Commercial Property wants to put flats made up of one and two bedrooms on top of a Regional Car Park (RCN) in Berners Street.

It asked Ipswich Borough Council on October 21 to approve its plans.

The existing car parking, located near the roundabout by Civic Drive and Crown Street, will stay for the use of the supermarket customers

Four storeys are currently looked at as the height of the proposed nine flats, which would integrate parking bays at the ground floor level with the building set back from the street.

Director at St Matthews Commercial Property Halil Enver Hodja said some parking could be lost but his company was in the early stages of the proposals.

He also said the family company would like to "get more units" on the site.

He added: "The amount of housing in Ipswich is currently behind demand. We're doing as much as we can to change that.

"We are trying to create homes that are attractive and right for everyone.

"We're really looking to work with the local community on this."

Mr Hodja added his company wants to rent out the homes when they are built and claims to have already made a start to cleaning up the area.

His agent Ben Moore from Ipswich's KLH Architects Ltd said: "It's a run-down area and it's about bringing residential housing back to the area and improving it.

"The previous application was for a hotel and this would bring it back and improve the area. It will create an uplift for the town centre and increasing the market for homes."

St Mathews Commercial Property has also put in an application on Meredith Road for four homes. The small road in northwest Ipswich is used by a lot of commercial businesses.

People have before November 22 to comment on the car park plans. It can be seen by going to here and searching for 21/01037/FUL.