It’s proved lucky seven for pub giant Wetherspoon after its plans for a new town centre venue were given the go-ahead – and hailed as the best design so far.
Planners have approved the seventh set of designs for the pub and work could start later in the year with the scheme part of the company’s £200million expansion project to create 10,000 jobs.
Community leaders backed the latest plans for the pub to regenerate the old Central Surgery site in Hamilton Road, Felixstowe, with the Felixstowe Society saying it was the “best scheme” to date.
Felixstowe Town Council welcomed the plans which it said addressed previous concerns, and was pleased to see the introduction of arched windows to reflect the character of the listed Victorian former rail station building next door.
Architects K D Paine & Associates Ltd designed the two-storey pub which will have a terrace and beer garden looking into Great East Square.
The company said: “The proposal will revitalise a derelict site with a landmark building and offer a refreshment and dining opportunity on a public square at the entrance of the town.
“We have a strong belief in the proposed intervention and its ability to rejuvenate this piece of the Felixstowe town fabric, to provide a new urban experience.
“This, we feel, would be a positive step for the site and the area as whole.”
Natalie Webb, planning case officer for East Suffolk Council, said officers had had concerns that the previous plans did not present a “cohesive design”.
She said: “Detailed discussions were held with the agent between the previous submission and this latest iteration in which the concerns were outlined and alterations were made. This latest design addresses previous concerns about the lack of a cohesive design approach.”
She said construction of the pub would be a significant investment in the town – around £2.6m.
She added: “This investment signals a forward-looking confidence in the Felixstowe economy, providing employment opportunities, particularly for young people, within the hospitality and leisure sector at a time of significant economic uncertainty.”
JD Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said the company was “as keen as ever to open a pub in Felixstowe”.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here