An animal charity has been given the go-ahead to build a new state-of-the-art rehoming centre which will enable it to double the number of pets it helps each year in Suffolk.

Babergh District Council has approved plans from the Blue Cross to relocate from Walton High Street, Felixstowe, to a four-acre site at Clock Fields, Bourne Hill, Wherstead, on the outskirts of Ipswich.

If building works go to plan, the charity – which helped 600 homeless dogs and cats at Felixstowe last year – could open the doors to the new centre as soon as summer 2015.

Four years ago the Blue Cross announced closure of the Felixstowe centre but after animal lovers launched a passionate campaign and gathered 16,000 signatures on a petition it was agreed a new site would be found to keep the charity in Suffolk.

Andrew Gillon, centre manager at Blue Cross Rehoming Centre in Felixstowe, said: “We are absolutely delighted about today’s fantastic news.

“We’ve been waiting a very long time for this moment, and we are all looking forward to our future in Suffolk.

“The new facilities will be purpose-built and modern, meaning we’ll be able to provide the highest level of care to our pets, while the new location will make us even more accessible to visitors looking to rehome a rescue animal.”

Now planning permission has been granted, Blue Cross will begin the process of buying the land and the charity hopes that building work will begin in summer this year.

The new centre will boast modern, spacious kennels and cattery, a maternity unit for puppies and kittens, an on-site clinical suite for operations, and a dedicated exercise area for dogs.

Mr Gillon said: “Now our plans have been given the green light, we will be raising much needed funds for the new centre.

“If anyone in the local community would like to get involved, we’d love to hear from them.”