Beach club ordered to demolish ‘unsightly’ metal seating platform at beauty spot on beach

Local residents have blown up a “metal monster” seating area that was built without planning permission on a picturesque seaside location.

The raised metal seating area, labeled an “eyesore” by locals, was built by Silver Sands Beach Club on North Beach in Heacham, West Norfolk.

The beach club applied to West Norfolk Council for retrospective planning permission, but there was a lot of opposition from local residents.

In comments on the council’s planning portal, Cllr Jan Whitehead said the “towering and ugly” structure was “completely out of character” for the area.

“This metal monstrosity detracts from the natural beauty of the beach and nearby protected wetlands. It will further deter visitors on which Heacham’s economy depends,” she raged.

Ian Evans said that “this raised platform is more representative of an industrial site such as an oil refinery or chemical factory”, adding that the platform “has a dominant and overbearing appearance, and is often It will have a negative impact,” he added.

“This construction is an eyesore and is out of keeping with the local landscape,” William Freeman added.

The retrospective planning application was refused by West Norfolk Council and the local authority is currently in talks with the club about the structure’s removal.

“This structure is considered to be visually incongruous and out of step with the rural coastal area, which is generally characterized by low-rise structures,” the city council said in its decision notice.

“The development has a very industrial design, poor materials and no special relationship to the surrounding area.

“This structure is out of scale for its location, and the lack of handrails and poor security on the stairs, as well as its overall relationship to the site, further exacerbates this unacceptable impact. ”

Mirror Online has contacted West Norfolk Council for comment.