Heacham: Leisure, camping and retail plan for Wild Ken Hill

Redundant buildings at Heacham Bottom Farm - part of the Wild Ken Hill project on the west Norfolk coast - could be replaced by learning, leisure and retail facilities and a glamping site.

The farm was the home of the BBC's flagship nature programmes Winterwatch, Springwatch and Autumnwatch for three years.

Springwatch presenters Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan at Wild Ken Hill (Image: Chris Bishop)

A campsite at nearby Mount Pleasant, on the outskirts of Heacham, is also included in the plans submitted to West Norfolk council by Wild Ken Hill project manager Dominic Buscall.

The authority initially deferred a decision on both proposals to request more information from Norfolk County Council's highways department.

Now councillors have been recommended to approve both schemes when they meet on Monday, June 5, on condition land is set aside for any future junction improvements which may be needed.

There are fears the proposals would increase congestion at the Lamsey Lane junction (Image: Google)

Both Heacham and Snettisham parish councils objected, fearing the scheme would increase congestion on the A149 and at the junction with Lamsey Lane.

But the county council's highways officers said: "It remains our professional opinion that there will be no material impact, at the junction, as a result of the proposals."

Twenty letters of objection have been received by the borough council, along with 18 in support.

Dominic Buscall from Wild Ken Hill (Image: Danielle Booden)

Mr Buscall said in a statement: "We are extremely constrained by a lack of facilities.

"In order to fulfil our vision of fighting climate change and restoring biodiversity across the UK, Wild Ken Hill needs the ability to welcome more visitors for higher quality, longer stays."

He added that the project is only funded until 2028, and developing a sustainable nature-based tourism business would create "certainty for the financial future of this important nature recovery work".

The report to councillors says the scheme "would not significantly affect highway capacity or highway safety" and offers "benefits both to the existing enterprise and also to the wider tourism offer in the borough".