CIVIC Centre staff in Ipswich will have the perfect excuse to work, rest and play when they move into their new offices in 18 months' time.Ipswich council's new headquarters will be owned by the Mars Pension Fund and as well as the offices it will also be home to a coffee shop and supermarket to serve the area.

CIVIC Centre staff in Ipswich will have the perfect excuse to work, rest and play when they move into their new offices in 18 months' time.

Ipswich council's new headquarters will be owned by the Mars Pension Fund and as well as the offices it will also be home to a coffee shop and supermarket to serve the area.

It was always made clear that the borough would not own its new office block when it moved to the Ipswich Village site.

Now a planning application has been formally lodged for the new six-storey block by developers North West Estates.

They will build the offices, but once completed they will be owned by the pension fund – one of the largest commercial landowners in the country.

That is the same combination that developed and owns the freehold of the Felaw Maltings business complex beside the Waterfront.

The ground floor of the office block will be reserved for shops and cafés.

The Star understands that a "Metro-Store" operated by either Tesco or Sainsburys will be included in the development.

That would serve thousands of people working in the area – at Suffolk County Council's Endeavour House headquarters, Constantine House, and at the new Crown Court building as well as the borough offices.

They would also be keen to use a Café Nero-style coffee shop which is also expected to be included in the development.

A borough spokesman said the new office block would provide services which would be welcomed by everyone working in the area.

"By the time our new offices are opened that will be a very busy part of the town – I'm sure it will be attractive to retailers who want to open new premises there," he said.

What do you think of the new borough offices? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

n Paul Geater's politics column – page 28