FUMING residents have vowed to fight for their picturesque home after claiming tourists and second-home owners ruined the area.
Disgruntled locals along the beautiful north Norfolk coast have voiced support for a unbroken 30-mile “wall” in a bid to stop the influx of unwelcome visitors.
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It comes amid growing concerns about the number of holiday lets and second homes at one of the country’s most popular destinations.
Towns and villages in the area have already imposed curbs following public votes, such as limiting newbuilds to those using them to live in.
Second homes have already been banned in Sedgeford and Snettisham.
Now, Old Hunstanton and Wells are now planning to get a public vote to ask if they want to crack down on the invasion of outsiders.
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Other referendums in the area have been passed overwhelmingly, with nine in ten locals supporting prohibitions in some cases.
Just 50 per cent need to be in favour for them to be passed.
If approved, most of the coastline between Heacham and Blakeney would have clauses written into their Neighbourhood Plans limiting who can buy in the area.
Other rules may include developers having to prove converting homes won’t cause issues such as excessive noise or problems parking.
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Terry Parrish, the leader of West Norfolk Council who represents Heacham, claimed the protectionist schemes were starting to take effect.
He told MailOnline: “It’s had an impact on a couple of small developments because they didn’t realise the condition was in place.
“It changed the mind of someone, they’ve changed the plans, and it’s going to be a principal residence.
“If properties are being built for second homes, they’re not improving matters for people who need a first home.”
Meanwhile, mum-of-three Leanne Welch, who works at the King’s Arms pub in Blakeney, said the only reason she had been able to stay in the village was because she had been given social housing.
Nick Eastwell, the chairman of Old Hunstanton Parish Council, said: “Like most villages in north Norfolk, we and residents are keen to maintain a healthy and sustainable balance between main residences and second homes and holiday lets.”
However, some business owners have reservations on how their businesses would survive without tourists.
Maxwell Graham-Wood, who owns a wine merchants in Burnham Market, complained last week: “If we had to rely on local people for business then there wouldn’t be a single business left in the village because they don’t shop here.
“Businesses love second home owners and holidaymakers and the sooner these extremists can drop this ridiculous attitude towards the people that keep our economy going, the better.”
Figures show that more than a third of properties – 125 out of 349 – in Old Hunstanton are second homes.
And this figure does not include holiday lets.
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Its Neighbourhood Plan states: “Even second home owners in Old Hunstanton feel that the number of second homes and holiday lets is jeopardising the village community, a case of killing the goose that lays the golden egg.
“Of particular concern is the trend for developers to buy up properties and replace them with more or larger properties specifically designed for the second home/holiday let market.”
