Southwold steam park plans approved

EIGHTY years since the closure of the Southwold railway, a heritage group's plans to bring the glory days of steam travel back to the seaside town have been given the green light.

EIGHTY years since the closure of the Southwold railway, a heritage group's plans to bring the glory days of steam travel back to the seaside town have been given the green light.

The Southwold steam railway park, where a replica locomotive will offer trips around a loop of track running through landscaped gardens, is part of proposals for a �200,000 visitor attraction.

The ambitious scheme, which also includes a museum, caf� and shop on the site of the Sole Bay car spares yard at the end of Blyth Road, was approved by Waveney District Council's development control committee last night - but work can only start once the access has been improved.

The scheme was approved with the conditions that the access road be upgraded and approved by the Highways Authority, that measures suggested by the Environment Agency to deal with potential contamination be put in place and that details of any steam whistles be agreed.

A narrow gauge railway started running between Southwold and Halesworth in 1879, but closed in 1929 when it could no longer compete with a new bus service.