Heacham Silver Sands Beach Club facing enforcement action

Silver Sands Beach Club at Heacham applied for retrospective permission for the pergola and raised viewing deck beside the village's North Beach.

But West Norfolk Council turned it down in February because it was "visually incongruous and out of keeping with the rural, coastal locality".

Now the council is poised to take enforcement action over the structure, which is still in situ.

"We are currently seeking legal advice," a spokesman said. "If an enforcement notice is issued, this will be published on the borough council's website."

The club's agents said it did not wish to comment on the latest development.

The pergola and viewing deck near Heacham North Beach (Image: Chris Bishop)

Locals were more vociferous when it came to the pergola with one describing it as "an eyesore".

One posted on the council's planning portal: "This metal monstrosity detracts from the natural beauty of the beach and protected marshland nearby.

"It will further deter the visitors that Heacham's economy relies on."

Another villager said: "This raised platform is more representative of an industrial site, such as an oil refinery or a chemical works."

The council's decision notice said: "The development appears very industrial in design and materials are poor with no particular relation to the surrounding area.

"The structure is out of scale with the locality it finds itself in and the lack of handrail to the stairs and poor safety as well as the overall relationship with the site further compounds this unacceptable impact."

Elsewhere in the village, the council has lost a number of enforcement actions which were overturned on appeal.

They related to a holiday lets business near Heacham South Beach operated by businessman Nigel marsh, whose costs the council was ordered to pay.