One of the Lowestoft area's biggest employers could leave the town as part of a government review which could see it moved to a new site outside Suffolk, it emerged this week.

It is believed learned that the Centre for Environment, Aquaculture and Fisheries Science (Cefas) site at Pakefield could be closed as the building will soon be unfit for purpose and is costly to maintain.

As part of a far reaching review, Cefas and the government are looking at four options for the future of the Pakefield Road laboratory site, which has 422 staff based there.

The options being looked at are for Cefas to remain in Pakefield with possible improvements to facilities, moving to another site in Lowestoft, moving to Norwich, and moving operations to another part of the country by merging with other science bodies.

Although Cefas stressed this week that the review was in its early stages, the possible loss of more than 400 jobs and scientific expertise from Lowestoft and the potential blow to the town's economy has prompted strong calls for the agency to remain in Pakefield which has been its home since 1955.

Bob Blizzard, Labour's parliamentary prospective candidate for Waveney, said: 'Cefas is a vital part of our local economy. It would be a disaster if Cefas was forced out of Lowestoft.

'It is our main source of quality, high level, scientific jobs. The impact of losing it would be devastating.

'We must tell the government loud and clear that Cefas belongs in Lowestoft and its main strength is the work force who are settled in this area.'

Mr Blizzard said any move to close Cefas in Pakefield would fly in the face of a government drive to create more new jobs and to boost the economy in Waveney by setting up the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership.

He added: 'There is no point creating an enterprise zone to attract new business if the government moves its own agency out of Lowestoft and creates a huge hole in the local economy.'

As well as eyeing another potential site in Lowestoft, it is believed that Cefas staff could move to the Norwich Research Park at Colney or to Southampton or York.

Waveney MP Peter Aldous said he had been aware of the review into Cefas's future for about a month and had arranged a meeting with its interim chief executive Mike Waldock to try and persuade him to keep it in the Lowestoft area.

He will tell Mr Waldock that the Pakefield site is renowned for its scientific expertise and is well placed to support the boom in the region's offshore renewables industry.

Mr Aldous said: 'My understanding is that we have a Cefas building that is not going to fall down tomorrow but is not suitable for the long-term. I believe that Cefas has a important role here in Lowestoft and I will be promoting and extolling the advantages it brings to Lowestoft.

'Cefas has helped to put Lowestoft on the map with its highly skilled work force and that should continue.'

The 422 staff at the Pakefield laboratories carry out a wide range of marine-based activities including fish stock studies, oceanographic and environmental surveys, climate change reports and examine issues around dredging and the offshore industry. The site is also the headquarters of Cefas, which has several sites around the UK.

In March 2010, Cefas revealed plans to improve and refurbish the clifftop site in Pakefield so it would be fit for purpose for at least five to seven years.

That announcement was made after the collapse of the £53m ill-fated Waveney campus project, which would have seen Cefas move into brand new headquarters overlooking Lowestoft harbour, sharing a site with Waveney District and Suffolk County councils.

When asked about the review, a Cefas spokesman said: 'It is very early days. We are looking at several options and are evaluating the costs and benefits of each one. We will choose the best option for Cefas.'

In addition to the 422 Cefas staff, the Pakefield site is home to 41 other people working for organisations including the Marine Management Organisation.

The Cefas research vessel, the Endeavour – which has accommodation for 19 crew and 16 scientists – also has its home port in Lowestoft. The ship is used to carry out a range of oceanographic surveys and fisheries studies around the UK coast and elsewhere.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for Cefas, which also has another major site in Weymouth and satellite centres at Whitehaven, Scarborough, Exeter, and Newlyn.

A Defra spokesman said: 'We are currently reviewing the Lowestoft site as it is costly to maintain and will not support Cefas operations long into the future.

'We are looking at a number of possible solutions but further work is necessary.'