Plans for five homes in a small Norfolk village have been approved, with hopes the development could revitalise an area popular with second home owners. 

Broadland Housings’ bid to build the properties on land to the north of Church Road in West Beckham, near Sheringham, has won the support of North Norfolk District Council’s planning committee. 

Councillors said they hope the scheme, which also includes a meadow, will "revitalise" the village.

Ahead of Thursday’s planning meeting, four locals wrote to object to the plan, arguing the site was unsuitable because it was too remote, with limited bus services and would force residents to rely on cars. 

But Callum Ringer, the councillor for the area, told the committee that many objectors were more concerned about a second, future planning application by the same developer for a separate site. 

Mr Ringer spoke in support of the homes, which will all be classed as affordable housing and allocated to people with a “strong local connection” first. 

He said the plan would help locals, particularly those who are being priced out of the area, which is being taken over by second and holiday homes.

“The parish council hope this will ‘revitalise the village’, that’s certainly my hope too,” he said. 

The plan was approved unanimously approved.