CROWN Court cases in Ipswich should be heard in a modern new building within the next two years.Contracts for the construction of the new building are due to be signed later this year, and it is expected to host its first cases in 2004.

CROWN Court cases in Ipswich should be heard in a modern new building within the next two years.

Contracts for the construction of the new building are due to be signed later this year, and it is expected to host its first cases in 2004.

The new court building is part of the Ipswich Village scheme, and will go up opposite the Princes' Street fire station and the Fitness First Gym.

It will be built and owned by a private developer, and leased to the court service as part of the government's Private Finance Initiative.

The existing court building is in part of the area around Civic Centre earmarked for residential development over the next 15 years.

Originally it was planned that this would be extra magistrates courts once the Crown Court moved – but now it looks as if the building could be cleared completely as part of the redevelopment of the area.

Ipswich council will decide within the next two or three years whether to refurbish Civic Centre or move to new offices in the Waterfront area.

The inducations are that the borough will decide to move. The existing Crown Court is next to Civic Centre, and that would leave a larger area to tempt a developer.

There is also a possibility that the town's police station in Elm Street, which is connected to the Crown Court building, could move as well – although the police authority would have to be offered the right price before agreeing to any move.