A planning enforcement case has been opened in relation to a 'truck stop cafe' and shop that have been created at a Suffolk lorry park that was given permission to double its capacity.

Concerns have been raised that East Suffolk Council had not given planning permission for the catering and retail facilities at the lorry park on a former gasworks site off the A154 Walton Avenue in Felixstowe.

In October, the EADT reported how the council had approved the lorry park's plans to accommodate 50 lorries, despite Felixstowe Town Council's concerns about safety from trucks pulling out on to the busy road.

READ MORE: Suffolk lorry park to double capacity despite noise concerns

The application also included the provision of Portakabin-style office blocks and staff car parking.

An East Suffolk Council spokesperson said: “A planning enforcement case has been opened in relation to development at a site in Walton Avenue, Felixstowe.

“We are unable to provide further comment while investigations continue. However, we can confirm that no formal enforcement action has been undertaken at this time.”

READ MORE: Felixstowe: Lorry park near port approved by East Suffolk

However, Matt Dangerfield, managing director of Felixstowe Truck Stop, which runs the site, said he had not had any contact from East Suffolk Council in relation to the opening of an enforcement case.

He said the 'truck stop cafe' was a burger van, similar to those found in lay-bys on major roads where customers stood in front of a counter.

"This is the first I have heard of an enforcement case. There is a burger van on site, but it is not disturbing anyone.

READ MORE: Felixstowe news

"It is all takeaway. There is no sit down cafe on site. It is a burger van and my understanding is that if it is a mobile facility, no planning permission is needed because it is just like a burger van in a lay-by," Mr Dangerfield said.

He said the shop premises had been formed by bringing together three shipping containers to make an open plan room and these were all single storey and at a much lower level than the containers that had been stacked up nearby in an area close to the Port of Felixstowe.

He added the planning permission allowed for Portakabin-style office blocks which could be more than a single storey high.

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"They are all single storey. They are next to each other on the ground. They are clapped together to make a watertight seal. They are very much in keeping with everything else that is around there.

"There is a railway line with trains going to storage depots with containers stacked seven or eight high. What we have put on there is a lot lower."

Felixstowe mayor Seamus Bennett said he was not aware of any action by the district council, but said if an enforcement process was under way, it should run its course.

Of the development itself, he said: "I feel and our planning committee felt that the original approved capacity should have remained and that the approval to hugely increase the capacity over that original capacity was a mistake.

"The closure of the Orwell Bridge lorry park was unfortunate and must be putting added pressure to expand new sites like this to meet demand.

"But this park is so close to the town proper that it risks creating undue noise and light pollution, as well as congestion and the risk of trucks over-running and ending up on Langer Road, very near the primary school."