Plans to create two new reservoirs by quarrying up to 750,000 tonnes of sand and gravel from the north Norfolk countryside look set to be given the green light despite "considerable objections" from local residents.

Plans to create two new reservoirs by quarrying up to 750,000 tonnes of sand and gravel from the north Norfolk countryside look set to be approved despite "considerable objections" from local residents.

The Stody Estate, near Holt, wants to create the reservoirs to store 70 million gallons of irrigation water.

Its application for planning permission to remove and process sand, gravel and soil over 10 years is due to be discussed by Norfolk County Council's planning committee on Friday.

A report to the committee says it is expected to take about seven to eight years to dig out the material, with about 100,000 tonnes being extracted each year, but the applicants have asked for a period of 10 years.

It is expected that about 700,000 to 750,000 tonnes would have to be processed and removed from the site using a local sand and gravel company, the report says.

There have been objections from Stody Parish Council and other parish councils in the area as well as "considerable objections from residents", the report adds.

Most of these relate to the possible impacts of the extraction and movement of lorries on the area's local amenity and the environment.

However, the report says "the environmental impacts of the proposal have been carefully considered" and "there are no objections from the environmental health officer, Environment Agency, Natural England, Norfolk Landscape Archaeology or the Highway Authority".

It goes on to recommend that, taking into account the council's development plan and "all other material considerations", there are "no issues of sufficient weight to justify a refusal".