East Suffolk Council
Felixstowe Seafront Development Strategy (FSDS)
The Felixstowe Seafront Development Strategy (FSDS) was adopted by East Suffolk Council in October 2025 to guide future investment by the public and private sectors, building on successful recent projects in the town. The vision for the South Seafront is to create a beautiful, welcoming environment which supports the visitor economy as well as benefitting both residents and businesses.
The Strategy’s objectives are:
- Ensure that the Seafront continues to be a viable tourism destination
- Make the Seafront area an attractive place to live, work and visit all year round, in the daytime and the evening
- Identify, encourage and unlock future phases of investment in this part of Felixstowe
- Influence the future of key sites and highlight other buildings and land to be considered
- Deliver good placemaking which builds on the unique character and heritage of Felixstowe
- Improve biodiversity and climate resilience, and mitigate climate change through carbon reduction
- Address the higher levels of deprivation in the South Seafront area
The strategy has also been developed following guidance and feedback from external stakeholders including the Environment Agency, Historic England, Suffolk County Council, Level Two Youth Group, Suffolk Coastal Disability Forum, seafront businesses and Felixstowe Town Council.
Public consultation on the draft proposals took place for 3 weeks from 9-30 June 2025 and attracted over 700 responses. The FSDS provides a detailed summary of the results of the public consultation and reveal that proposals shown in the draft material are supported by the respondents of the survey. Some proposals have been revised to reflect feedback received during consultation, and as proposals are developed into more detailed design, there will be opportunity to revisit the consultation feedback and ensure there is continuing community design in the proposals.
The Strategy is split into short term priorities which could be delivered in the next few years and longer term vision which are projects which could be delivered by a successor organisation. The Council is now progressing further work to develop the short term priorities including lighting the seafront, signage and wayfinding, and improving the connection from the end of the promenade to Manor Terrace.