Southwold Costa Coffee application approved

Councillors voted against Costa Coffee's change of use application in June

Plans to site a Costa Coffee cafe in a Suffolk seaside town have been approved seven votes to six.

The coffee chain's change of use application for a building on Southwold High Street was rejected in June.

Waveney District Council said the cafe would be detrimental to the "viability and vitality" of the town centre.

Agent Savills resubmitted the application, saying the council's decision was "not reasonably related to planning", and it has been approved.

Savills said the introduction of a coffee chain would benefit independent retailers and provide jobs for local people.

Costa, which is owned by Whitbread, wants to sell food and drink at 70 High Street, which was last used as a clothes shop.

Waveney District Council said it had received hundreds of objections to the original application and half a dozen in support.