Businesses, politicians and train operators have backed plans to transform a dilapidated railway heritage building into a community hub.

Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey highlighted the potential benefits posed by the regeneration of the Station House in Campsea Ashe during a fundraising presentation to businesses on Friday morning.

Speaking after the meeting, Dr Coffey said she was “delighted” to attend and endorsed the plans.

“I hope the Community Connections team led by chairman, Robert Webb, will be able to secure the funding needed and the social enterprise tax relief of 30% announced in the Budget will help,” she added

The meeting at the Old Rectory was also attended by Gerraint Hughes, Greater Anglia’s partnership manager, who expressed the train operator’s support for the scheme and its role in a future partnership.

The endorsements have been welcomed by project leaders at the Station House Community Connections.

“It was fantastic to receive such a clear endorsement of the plans from our local MP and Abellio Greater Anglia,” said Robert Webb, the charity’s chairman.

“The Station House is a significant building, in an ideal location with the potential to provide something for everyone.

“The enthusiastic response we received will hopefully strengthen this message too and help us achieve our fund-raising target.”

The £500,000 project, for which £130,000 has already been secured, would bring the historic building back into use for the first time in seven years with a new cafe, book shop and station facilities.

Project leaders hope to restore the 19th Century station house in its original style while equipping it with training centres, conference rooms and technology hubs featuring wi-fi internet connections for use by voluntary groups and businesses.

Maria Banks, an executive business and life coaching specialist at Strada Innovation in Woodbridge, said the facility could be beneficial to her and her clients.

“As a businesswoman I run workshops for local businesses in the area, so it’s really important to know that there is somewhere that could be available for me to support my clients,” she said.

“I thought this was a really great concept and I hope it proves successful

The event also saw the launch of a fundraising video for the project, which can be viewed at www.stationhousecampseaashe.co.uk