Community leaders are backing plans for a new Wetherspoon’s pub in Felixstowe – saying the latest designs overcome their concerns.

National pub company JD Wetherspoon has submitted a sixth set of proposals for a new venue at the resort after trying for six years to develop land in the town centre.

Architects acting for the company have taken into account concerns of community leaders and planners in designing a two-storey pub for the former Central Surgery site in Hamilton Road.

Felixstowe Town Council agrees and has recommended that East Suffolk Council grants planning permission.

The town council "warmly welcomed" the latest application and was "pleased to note that its previous concerns in respect of proposals for this site have been largely addressed in this latest iteration".

Councillors have asked for trees to be re-provided on site and replacements selected to be best suited for the town centre environment with no loss in number and ideally an increase overall.

They want some assurances on signage and that there would be cycle parking for customers and staff, and also assurances that delivery vehicles leaving the premises would not cause danger to oncoming traffic.

The town council was pleased to see that its biggest bugbear had been overcome - and that the desigbn now showed the pub facing into Great Eastern Square, able to take advantage of the open space and bring it alive.

It added: "Members look forward to this development commencing, the consequent improvement of this derelict site and additional jobs created as a result."

KD Paine & Associates Ltd's (KDPA) new design will see a pub on two floors, with a beer garden on the ground floor and a terrace on the first floor.

KDPA said: "The proposal will revitalise a derelict site with a landmark building and offer a refreshment and dining on a public square at the entrance of the town.

"We believe it would be a positive step for the site and the area as whole."

With the Orwell Hotel, the development had the potential to create a landmark "gateway" entrance to the commercial centre of town.

JD Wetherspoon has been trying to develop the site since 2014 and has been granted permission for a pub already - despite enormous opposition from residents in the area to the earliest of its applications.

The previous five applications included various pub designs, a five-storey contemporary block of 24 apartments with a pub on the ground floor, and a spectacular four-storey building including a pub and a 50-room hotel.

Wetherspoon has said that it intends to build the project - which will create 50 new jobs - this year.

The chain is investing £200m in pubs and hotels across the country, including Diss and Ely in this region.