A town's night shelter for the homeless has got the go-ahead for an extension.

King's Lynn Night Shelter was originally expected to house up to 32 people sharing bedrooms when it moved from St Ann's Fort to St John's House, on Blackfriars Road, in 2020.

But the pandemic prevented room sharing and now new regulations have come into force requiring each person to have their own room.

That means the shelter, which is open between October and June, can accommodate just eight overnight guests. 

Plans for a two-storey extension, with four further bedrooms, have now been agreed by West Norfolk council.

One neighbour objected, claiming there was anti-social behaviour and drink-related disorder around the site, along with alarms going off when the building was empty.

But a volunteer replied: "I have always found the guests to be courteous and respectful. I have not witnessed them creating noise or a nuisance outside the building, so do not envisage the additional capacity impacting on the local area."

A planning officer's report which recommended the scheme be approved said: "The issues raised within the representation are not considered to be material planning considerations and therefore have not formed part of the decision-making process."

In a planning statement, the shelter said: "During the period from October 2021 to June 2022, the shelter welcomed 39 people to stay of whom 59pc achieved a positive move to further accommodation.

"Additionally the shelter helped a further 197 people over the year who were sleeping rough, in other emergency accommodation, sofa surfing or had stayed at the shelter previously but were struggling to feed themselves.

"The night shelter provides a safe, warm and welcoming place for those in need, giving guests an address from which they can begin to rebuild their lives by registering with the necessary agencies."

In the shelter's annual report, the Right Rev Jane Steen, Bishop of Lynn, wrote: "The King’s Lynn Night Shelter is an island of kindness and compassion to those who are homeless, to whom the world is often unsympathetic and harsh."