MAJOR sea defence work at Felixstowe will mean the town has hundreds fewer car parking spaces for the next six months.The £10 million scheme to protect the south of the resort is about to start, but the Wireless Green car park is to be used as the contractors' compound.

MAJOR sea defence work at Felixstowe will mean the town has hundreds fewer car parking spaces for the next six months.

The £10 million scheme to protect the south of the resort is about to start, but the Wireless Green car park is to be used as the contractors' compound.

Although it is an unofficial car park, the area is very busy on Sundays with people visiting the market on the Cavendish site and the streets in the area already choc-a-bloc with cars.

Robert Whiting, Suffolk Coastal Cabinet member said: “The Wireless Green area has been made available on Sundays for people to park on, but that area of land is now required by the contractors for their compound to help carry out these much needed works to safeguard Felixstowe south as speedily and efficiently as possible.

“We managed to keep the area open last Sunday for one last time but put up notices and left over 200 leaflets advising people that the area would be out of bounds from now on, and letting them know of the nearby Landguard car park in Manor Terrace.

“I understand that some people may be a bit frustrated at losing their traditional parking spot but I am sure that they will appreciate that there inevitably has to be a little bit of inconvenience for such a vitally important project to proceed.”

As well as the nearby Landguard car park in Manor Terrace, there is also another 108 free car parking spaces on offer at Garrison Lane, meaning that in total there are 246 free spaces nearby for people wanting to visit the Sunday market and seafront.

The sea defence work - a partnership project between the Environment Agency and Suffolk Coastal - involves building a series of 21 T-shaped rock groynes between the pier and Landguard.

Preparatory work started this week, managed by Team Van Oord Ltd, with a dredger expected to anchor off-shore in early April to begin pumping sand and shingle ashore for the new beach.

Engineers say the groynes should retain the beach material, building strong defences which will protect 1,600 homes, businesses, the port and tourist attractions for the next century.

Is Felixstowe looking forward to a summer of parking misery? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk