IPSWICH'S Muslim community is today looking forward to building a new mosque to act as its own centrepiece in the town.The mosque is to be built in Bond Street, on the site of the current Muslim centre in the town which is in a poor state of repair.

IPSWICH'S Muslim community is today looking forward to building a new mosque as its own centrepiece in the town.

The mosque is to be built in Bond Street, on the site of the current Muslim Centre, which is in a poor state of repair. The cost of the project is expected to be near £1million.

Much of the finance for the building will be made available by the Saudi Arabian government, which has a policy of supporting mosques throughout the world.

But there will also be financial help from Ipswich council and Suffolk County Council to pay for the community centre, which will be developed alongside the mosque.

"We very much hope that work on the new mosque will start later this year," said Aziz Rahman, leader of the Bangladeshi Muslim community in Ipswich.

Ipswich council has committed £100,000 to it through its community improvements programme, and Suffolk is to contribute £25,000.

Local Muslims also have to find some of the cost, Mr Rahman added.

The mosque has been designed by Martin Last of the Last and Tricker Partnership in Ipswich, and is traditional in design.

"This will be a very welcome addition to Ipswich," said Penny Breakwell, borough councillor for the Alexandra Ward.

"The existing Muslim community facilities there are very poor, and this will be a landmark for the area.

"Although it will look traditional, there will not be the calling to prayer – local people will not be disturbed."

Mrs Breakwell said the council was not able to help finance the mosque itself because it was a place of worship, but it had been happy to support the community centre.

An application to build the mosque is expected to be considered by Ipswich planners by June.