Good progress is being made on a new 368-home development at a Suffolk resort - with the developers having now released the first properties for sale.

Bloor Homes is building the two-bed, three-bed and four-bedroom homes on a 30-acre site bounded by Walton High Street, the Candlet Road Walton by-pass and A14 at Felixstowe.

The initial phase is seeing the construction of 71 homes.

The company said the first homes near the main entrance to the project were nearing completion and it had now opened a sales office at the site and staff are selling the first properties.

Bloor will be investing £2.6million in community facilities and infrastructure - including £526,000 for primary education and £451,000 towards a pre-school.

Development of the former arable field has been under discussion for seven years and final details for the homes were given the go-ahead by East Suffolk councillors in spring this year, allowing work to start.

Original plans for the land envisaged a Tesco superstore plus homes and business units.

However, this scheme was dropped after a huge opposition campaign and councillors chose another site in the town for a supermarket instead.

New plans were then drawn up for up to 368 homes.

A new roundabout has been built at the entrance outside Felixstowe School, and there will be a link road through the site to Candlet Road, where there will be another roundabout, making it easy for people in Walton and Trimley St Mary to access the A14.

East Anglian Daily Times: Bounded by the dock spur roundabout, A14 Port of Felixstowe Road, Candlet Road and Walton High Street, the 30-acre site for Bloor Homes 366-home scheme at FelixstoweBounded by the dock spur roundabout, A14 Port of Felixstowe Road, Candlet Road and Walton High Street, the 30-acre site for Bloor Homes 366-home scheme at Felixstowe (Image: Google Earth)

Felixstowe Rifle Club is based at the Trimley end of the site but will be moving to new premises near to the port.

Planners said the development will include 88 affordable properties and there will be a "mix of market and affordable housing across a broad range of bedrooms, house types and tenures".

The plans also include a pre-school which is due to be built after 200 homes are complete.

Plans to convert the former listed stables buildings - one of which was wrecked by an arson attack - into business units have outline permission but will be pursued by a different developer.