Locals want planners to call time on a gazebo at a village pub claiming it has brought noise and disturbance.
The timber and zinc structure was put up in the rear garden of the White Horse at Holme, near Hunstanton, last August.
It originally stood at the front of the pub, off Kirkgate in the centre of the village, and a retrospective planning application has now been lodged with West Norfolk Council for it to be allowed to stay.
But one neighbour posted on the council’s planning portal: “When used by drinkers or diners we experience high levels of noise, especially as long afternoon drinking leads to louder voices.
“On occasions people in the gazebo have used it to look at us in our courtyard garden, use it as a smoking area despite the pub rules otherwise, as a play area and parents use it as a stage to film their children singing songs or performing games which causes high levels of disturbance as we sit a few feet away the other side.”
A picture of the gazebo on West Norfolk council’s planning portal (Image: Steven Wade/WNC)
Another added: “The pub should not have jumped the gun and gone ahead without planning permission so it should not be granted for that reason alone.
“Too much of this is going on nowadays as the council don’t bother to enforce breaches, it’s just far easier for them to grant it retrospectively.”
Holme Parish Council has also objected to the application, saying customers using the gazebo have “introduced a considerable degree of disturbance”.
It added “It was bound to cause neighbour disturbance at this location and given the choice of site within the extensive gardens and the fact that the building is free-standing there seems no good reason why it should be located within the impact area of any of the neighbouring properties.”
A planning statement on behalf of the pub describes the gazebo as “a small garden building” and said its position had been chosen to “form an attractive backdrop feature” in the pub’s garden.
The retrospective application also includes a storage shed put up in part of the garden, which it says is “essential to the smooth and tidy running” of the business.
The White Horse underwent extensive renovations after being bought by Anglian Country Inns and reopening last June.