Homeowners in North Walsham have said they are concerned about their personal safety and damage to the value of their homes if a plan to expand the use of a waste site is given the go ahead.

Homeowners in North Walsham have said they are concerned about their personal safety and damage to the value of their homes if a plan to expand the use of a waste site is given the go ahead.

Residents of Spa Common, on the eastern side of town, have said they are appalled at the proposal, which would lead to a maximum of 48 extra lorry movements a day - on top of what is already a significant number of movements from current businesses including a nearby scrapyard.

But the company behind the plan, HFS, have said the number of lorries would be no more than used to be associated with a previous land use by Anglian Water Services - and they are happy to talk to local people about their concerns.

HFS is hoping to use the Marshgate site as a non-hazardous liquid waste transfer station, taking liquids from various sources for processing, treatment and despatch.

Spa Common resident Peter Bowles said the main concern was the increase in the number of lorries.

“It will absolutely overwhelm this tiny community. This is just too many big vehicles.

“We really feel this is an inappropriate position for an industrial site to be developed more than it is now.”

Manor Road resident Jo Le-Rose said: “The main concern of the residents of North Walsham is the amount of tankers which they intend to send down our leafy very thin country roads.

“To have 24 huge tankers in and out a day is an outrage. The danger to children, the already congested road system, the air pollution, the noise and the effect that this will bring on the market value of homes here would be dire for the community.”

Town councillor Ellen Grover said people were already “inconvenienced” by the numbers of heavy goods vehicles using the local roads: “People have complained bitterly for many years at the numbers of lorries.

“Another 24 per day is just not going to be possible. People down at Spa Common feel very sick and want to know why they are getting dumped with this.”

A report prepared on behalf of HFS states: “The traffic impacts and the environmental impacts of the generated traffic in terms of noise and disturbance is likely to be minimal.” The report goes on to state there have been no reported accidents involving heavy goods vehicles in the nearby area studied by consultants.

The company has also offered to stop heavy goods vehicle movements past North Walsham Infants and Nursery School between 8am and 9.15am and again between 3pm and 4pm. They will also agree to use a specific controlled route, using Anchor Road and not turning left out of the site.

HFS owner Alister Wait said: “We are a local company employing local people who have been operating in harmony with the local community for many years.

“We have nothing to hide and wish to communicate fully with the community.”

Mr Wait said he would welcome anyone who wanted to come and speak to him about the application and would be willing to show people around the site and answer questions.

The extra heavy goods vehicle movements would be a maximum of 24 in and 24 out on weekdays, 12 in and 12 out on Saturdays and none on Sundays. A total of 10 full time jobs would be generated if the application is given the go ahead.

The application will be decided by Norfolk County Council, with North Norfolk District Council and North Walsham Town Council among the consultees. The town council voted to object to the plan at a meeting on Tuesday evening.