Long-awaited plans to regenerate Southwold harbour have been delayed by several months, it emerged this week.

A meeting of the town council heard that repairs to a crumbling harbour wall, which forms part of a �3.2m major project, were now due to start in December or January – at least three months later than hoped.

News of the delay was confirmed by town councillor Sue Allen, who sits on the harbour trust's committee and who expressed her disappointment that the timetable for the work had slipped back several months.

She said 'I am very unhappy about it. Everyone wants it sorted out as soon as possible.'

A campaign to improve harbour facilities at Southwold has been going on for 10 years. Once started, the �3.2m harbour regeneration will see repairs carried out on the crumbling North Dock Wall and improved facilities provided for fishermen, including new moorings, a refrigeration area and ice-making machines, a new crane to lift boxes from boats, electricity hook-ups, a diesel store, and CCTV.

Waveney District Council has set aside �2m for the scheme, which will see the RNLI's winch and davit moved to a new site in Ferry Road, and it has secured a further �1.22m from the EU's European Fisheries Fund.

The harbour had been run by the council since 1970. Last year the freehold was handed to the new Southwold Harbour Lands Trust.