Felsham could see new post office and café as plans from Felsham and Gedding Community Store Limited submitted to Mid Suffolk District Council

Plans have been submitted for a new post office and café in a village.

They were submitted to Mid Suffolk District Council by Andrew Conquest on behalf of Felsham and Gedding Community Store Limited for a new building on land next to the village hall and recycling centre in Church Road, Felsham.

The new plans follow similar proposals given the go-ahead in 2021 which expired in May this year, due to works not starting within the three-year deadline.

A statement submitted on behalf of the applicant said: “The proposed scheme, together with the existing village hall, will help to create a community focus for the village throughout the day.”

As it stands, the village shop and post office is located in a private home’s extension between the church and the village hall, with approval sought to ‘protect the future’ of the existing shop.

If given the green light, the new café would be used in conjunction with the hall when there are functions and as an additional meeting space.

To make construction possible, the existing recycling centre would have to be moved toward the front of the site, which would also have two bottle banks, as well as a newspaper and clothes bank.

Like the previous application, the proposals also make way for solar panels on the south-facing slope of the pitched roof.

The application is now being consulted on ahead of the council’s decision, scheduled with a deadline on December 31.