Work has begun on a new customer contact centre in Lowestoft, which could see more than 70 jobs created.

Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW) is investing about £4m in a purpose-built centre close to Lake Lothing, on land previously earmarked for the ill-fated Waveney Campus project.

And yesterday the first section of turf was cut to start construction of the new office building at the Riverside complex in Lowestoft.

With Waveney MP Peter Aldous in attendance, local building contractor RG Carter started work on the new centre, off Canning Road, which is due to be completed in June next year.

With ESW, which is part of Northumbrian Water, having had a customer contact centre in Lowestoft since the early 1990s, the new office will replace the company’s current base at a former convent in Rectory Road, which is no longer big enough, or considered suitable for its needs.

Nearly 200 of the water supplier’s customer team will move into the building when it is operational next year.

And plans for future expansion could see an additional 70 jobs created over the next five years.

Ian Donald, for Northumbrian Water, said: “A purpose-built customer centre will help us work more efficiently and enable us to deliver first-class customer service.”

Grant Keys, for RG Carter, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this exciting project.”

Mark Hopwood, project manager for ESW, said: “Essex and Suffolk Water has had a presence in Lowestoft for many years and this proposal will retain a large number of jobs close to the centre of town with scope to expand.”

Mr Aldous said: “It is a very welcome £4m project where there will be an

opportunity in the fullness of time to create another 70 jobs.”

The building has been designed by architects Fielden and Mawson, and it will be a near-neighbour to the £13.6m office complex planned by Suffolk County and Waveney District Councils on Riverside Road.