Planning permission has been granted for a new distribution centre on the north west corner of Ipswich despite objections from its nearest neighbours.

The Headlam Group wants to move its distribution centre from Hadleigh to a new site behind the Anglia Retail Park on Bury Road.

They will bring 80 jobs with them to the site – with the hope of creating more jobs in the years ahead. Ipswich council’s planning and development committee approved the application with only one member voting against.

Headlam owns Faithfulls Flooring, and the centre will be used to distribute flooring materials across East Anglia.

However the proposal attracted opposition from residents living in Old Norwich Road whose gardens back on to the site of the proposed distribution centre.

Local resident Steven Bates addressed the meeting and said that were a number of objections – the size of the building, noise and light pollution, flooding and drainage concerns, and concerns that it would not create new jobs because staff would move from Hadleigh.

Councillors on the committee said it was a finely-balanced decision, but that area already had some business use and its good access to the A14 meant it was well situated for a distribution centre.

There were 30 conditions imposed on the planning permission, many of them to ensure the impact on its neighbours was minimised.

Colin Kriedewolf, who is responsible for some of the council’s economic development strategy, said that while it was not a simple decision the need for investment in the town was the crucial.

He felt the conditions were strong enough to prevent major disruption for local residents.