18 February 2024 , 18:56
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Locals have blasted a “metal monstrosity” seating area that was built without planning permission at a seaside beauty spot.
The elevated metal seating area, branded an “eyesore” by locals, was built by the Silver Sands Beach Club at North Beach, Heacham, West Norfolk.
The beach club applied to West Norfolk Council for retrospective planning permission, drawing a slew of objections from locals.
Jan Whitehead said the 'towering, ugly' structure is 'completely out of character' with the area in a comment on the council’s planning portal.
“This metal monstrosity detracts from the natural beauty of the beach and protected marshland nearby. It will further deter the visitors that Heacham's economy relies on,” she raged.
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Ian Evans said: “This raised platform is more representative of an industrial site, such as an oil refinery or a chemical works,” adding the platform had a “dominating and overbearing appearance and will be detrimental to the area.”
Google street view of the Silver Sands Beach Club dated March 2023, prior to the erection of the metal structure. (SWNS)“This construction is an eyesore and not in keeping with the local landscape,” William Freeman added.
The retrospective planning application was refused by West Norfolk Council and the local authority are now in talks with the club over the removal of the structure.
“The structure is considered to be visually incongruous and out of keeping with the rural, coastal locality which is characterised with generally low-rise structures,” the council said in its decision notice.
“The development appears very industrial in design and materials are poor with no particular relation to the surrounding area.
“The structure is out of scale with the locality it finds itself in and the lack of handrail to the stairs and poor safety as well as the overall relationship with the site further compounds this unacceptable impact.”
MirrorOnline has approached West Norfolk Council for a comment.