A COUPLE affected most by proposals for a massive £15 million clifftop development in front of their hotel claimed today they were denied their chance to object to the project.

A COUPLE affected most by proposals for a massive £15 million clifftop development in front of their hotel claimed today they were denied their chance to object to the project.

After years of campaigning against the development, Margaret and John Dugdall said they had not been told about the final decision-making meeting - and so missed their chance to speak and put their views.

The couple own the Castle Lodge Hotel in Chevalier Road and their sea views will be dramatically affected when the seven- and eight-storey blocks of flats are built in Hamilton Gardens.

Mrs Dugdall said: “The council promised to keep us informed and I am absolutely disgusted that despite our letters and phone calls, no-one told us the meeting was taking place.

“The first I knew about it was when I read about it in the Evening Star.

“Because our sea views will be affected so much the councillors asked if they could come and look round the hotel, which they did, and the officers said they would let us know when the meeting was so that we could go along and speak for three minutes.

“Now we have lost our chance and yet we are the people who will be affected most - the councillors must have been wondering why we didn't turn up.”

Mrs Dugdall said she and her husband were very disappointed with the finals plans for the site because councillors had told the developers to reduce the size of the scheme and build only one block.

“It has come back still as two and even bigger and taller than ever,” she said.

Members of Suffolk Coastal's south area development control sub committee approved the scheme, described by officers as a “bold, imaginative and unashamedly contemporary design”.

Landro Ltd will convert former Edwardian hotel Cliff House, more recently used as offices, into 18 flats with two more blocks of 37 flats on the car park alongside and the site of Hamilton House, Cambridge Road, which will be demolished.

A council spokesman said: “Suffolk Coastal no longer writes to people informing them of when particular applications are coming up at committee so it would be surprising if our planning officer did say that he would let these people know of when the meeting was that would be discussing Cliff House.”

He assured them their comments were considered by councillors because of the committee visit to the hotel.

Is the development too big for the clifftop? Let us know your views of the new plans - write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk