A MAJOR eight-storey hotel has been earmarked for a possible second phase of the regeneration of Ipswich's former Civic Centre site, it emerged today.

Neil Puffett

A MAJOR eight-storey hotel has been earmarked for a possible second phase of the regeneration of Ipswich's former Civic Centre site, it emerged today.

As part of plans to build the Westgate Centre, featuring a supermarket, bars and shops, on the site of the former council offices off Civic Drive, developers Turnstone are already considering a second stage.

The land is currently home to Ipswich police station, the town's magistrates' court, the former crown court building and around a dozen housing association homes.

The move was revealed by the Star this summer but a new blueprint shows a more detailed vision of what Turnstone hope to build.

As well as a hotel, the site would incorporate flats and a new multi-storey car park.

It is understood the land for the development could be freed up over the next few years.

Suffolk police are looking to move from their outdated Elm Street base in Ipswich while the town's magistrates' court is likely to move to a new building next to the crown court over the next few years.

Should the police and magistrates' court move, Turnstone would look to buy adjoining housing association land off Black Horse Lane.

This would free up a patch of land roughly equivalent to the Civic Centre site which they bought last year for �8.15million.

Planning permission has now been granted for the Westgate Centre.