An upmarket bar and restaurant on Ipswich’s Waterfront could get an outdoor bar if plans are approved.

The Aurora bar in Helena Road has submitted a formal planning application to Ipswich Borough Council following pre-application advice in January, using a shipping container converted into an outdoor bar area.

The application said: “It is proposed to construct a lightweight outside bar at the restaurant, primarily for summer use.

“The proposed design seeks to provide a high standard of finishes and a good standard of amenity and will improve the character of the area and the way it functions.

“The proposal is as requested, conceived as a ‘subservient’ addition to the restaurant which does not block views of the apartments which form a backdrop to the urban space.”

The bar would be built in the outside seating area, which the application states will be an “enhancement of an existing facility and allows improved monitoring of customer activity.”

The plans also outline an intention to create a wild-flower roof display which can be seen from a ramped walkway above.

The application is currently in the consultation phase, and is due to be brought to borough council planners at the end of July.

A spokesman from Aurora was unavailable for comment.