A hotel chain is actively searching for sites as it aims to open a second Travelodge in Lowestoft.

Travelodge has announced plans to open three hotels across Suffolk as part of a £15 million expansion programme – with one of the hotels earmarked for Lowestoft.

The chain, which opened the £2.3m Lowestoft Travelodge on Leisure Way in 2009, has said they now want to open a second hotel in Lowestoft.

Last month the group announced plans to open 100 new hotels in the next five years.

And as a new hotel was unveiled in Bury St Edmunds, Travelodge's UK Development Director announced further expansion plans in Suffolk.

The chain already has sites in Norwich, Thetford, Great Yarmouth, Cromer, Wisbech and King's Lynn, and they 'are actively looking for the ideal site to open our second Travelodge in Lowestoft'.

The expansion programme equates to a proposed investment of £5 million and 20 new jobs within the Lowestoft community, with two other Travelodge hotel sites in Felixstowe and Newmarket also proposed.

At the official opening ceremony of Bury St Edmunds Travelodge – the company's 579th hotel and its seventh property in Suffolk – Tony O'Brien, Travelodge UK Development Director, said: 'Despite the current political and economic uncertainly we are delighted to open our first hotel in Bury St Edmunds today and announce that we are looking for a second hotel site in Lowestoft as part of our Suffolk trio expansion programme.

'Collectively this investment of three hotels represents an investment of £15 million for third party investors and will create 60 new jobs.

'Lowestoft with its award-winning Blue Flag beach and themed parks is attracting record visitor numbers but there is a shortage of great quality and good value accommodation to meet consumer demand.

'Therefore we are actively looking for the ideal site to open our second Travelodge in Lowestoft.

'This hotel will represent an investment of £5 million for third party investors and create 20 new jobs.

'It will also support the local economy as Travelodge customers spend double their room rate with local businesses during their stay which equates to a multi-million annual spend.'