The storage building at the rear of the old Candlers store in Felixstowe - the buildings will be extended plus new offices built in the grounds to create business units and generate more new jobs.

MORE new jobs could be heading for Felixstowe with approval for seven business units on part of the biggest empty site in the town centre.

Planners have agreed the scheme for part of the Candlers site, which has now been subdivided with the former furniture store’s warehouse and car park sold off to Cumberland Investments (Woodbridge) Ltd and Goblin Enterprises Ltd.

Suffolk Coastal councillors have agreed the warehouse can be extended and converted into six business units with a new office built on adjoining spare land, plus a 21-space car park with access onto Penfold Road.

The scheme does not affect the main shop in Hamilton Road – which has been empty since the retirement of owner Donald Candler, 92, earlier in the year – with no new occupier on the horizon yet.

The business units will range from 80 sq m to 120 sq m, ideally suited to small businesses, start-up units and developing companies.

Case officer Liz Beighton said residents in Penfold Road had expressed a number of concerns about the project, including that it would increase traffic and parking, and was not compatible with a residential street.

However, she said the current permission for the whole site meant a company such as a supermarket could move in and use it with unlimited delivery and operational hours which would be far worse than the less intrusive use being proposed, where people were likely to come and go from offices or business units twice a day.

Members of the south area development control sub committee agreed to help allay residents’ fears by limiting working hours to 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm Saturdays and no Sunday or Bank Holiday working.

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