A NEW block of 30 flats, restaurants and an office will be built in Hadleigh town centre after councillors approved the plans.

The proposals, by RJ Hill, involve redeveloping 325-329 London Road, near the junction with Oak Road North.

Residents fear the two bar/restaurants planned for the complex will cause noise and disturbance, but planning officers told councillors these were suitable proposals for a town centre.

Resident Vanda Jimmick, of Oak Road, told councillors at a planning meeting of the impact the development would have on residents already blighted by rowdy customers of a nearby kebab shop.

She said: "Residents are living under siege. There is no quality of life and no rest. I would not be able to sleep at night and would have to move."

The ageing site is now being used as the base for an insurance company, furniture shop, air-conditioning engineers and car sales showroom.

Some councillors felt the proposal would be a vast improvement on the current shabby premises. Norman Smith (Con, Boyce) said: "I went on a site visit and stood on the other side of the road and it's a disgrace.

"The buildings are past their sell-by date. We need to regenerate that part of Hadleigh."

The developer is proposing to set aside six of the flats for affordable housing and will donate £10,000 to help improve facilities at nearby John Burrows Recreation Ground.

But Godfrey Isaacs (Con, St James) felt the proposal did not fit in with its surroundings.

He said: "We are going to get noise from people walking along the High Street and London Road. It is a big building. It's too dominant.

"It is not a place where we need to build something like that and I would vote against it."

Kim Fisher, assistant director of planning, said the site had sufficient parking provision for a town centre site, despite a shortfall of 63 parking spaces for the restaurants and office.

Councillors were told because it was surrounded by good public transport links and car parks, a relaxation of parking requirements was acceptable.

The consultation period on the application does not close until tomorrow, but councillors approved the plans in principle and delegated the final decision to Ian Burchill, director of planning, planning chairman Bill Dick and vice-chairman Colin Riley.

The final decision is subject to a set of conditions and no further objections being lodged.