Planners knocked back a bid to build 56 holiday lodges in north Norfolk, but approved new camping pods and tent pitches in another part of the district.

The lodges plan was a proposed expansion of Woodland Holiday Park off Cromer Road in Trimingham, which already had just over 400 static holiday lodges.

But councillors on North Norfolk District Council's planning committee on Thursday refused permission for Woodland to build more, mainly on the grounds of their environmental impact.

Councillor Nigel Lloyd said of the scheme, which fell in the north Norfolk Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB): "To me the AONB is one of our highest responsibilities in north Norfolk to protect. Without it, tourists wouldn't come here."

The lodges would have been visible from the Paston Way long-range footpath, although Woodland had planned to put in new trees to lessen the visual impact.

Angie Fitch-Tillett, councillor for that ward - called Poppyland - spoke in favour of the expansion, which would have included relocating overhead power cables underground.

She said: "I consider this to a positive planning gain."

The lodges would have created seven to 10 full-time new jobs.

Councillors voted 7-5 to accept officers' recommendation to refuse the plan.

Meanwhile, a bid to expand Baconsthorpe Meadows Campsite, and give retrospective permission for buildings already put up there without permission, was approved.

This is despite the pleas of four neighbours of the site off Hempstead Road, who spoke up at the meeting with a range of objections including smoke and bad smells from the campsite, noise from the gravel driveway, barking dogs and anti-social behaviour.

Councillors took a different view, but imposed a number of conditions, including limiting the site's capacity to 264 people, and removing the gravel from the driveway to reduce the noise.

Councillor Duncan Baker said: "I think what the applicant has done is quite a modest request and I cannot see that this will have a detrimental impact on the rest of the area."

The application was approved unanimously. Richard Youngs, the applicant, can now go ahead and add 10 more camping pitches and six camping pods at the site.