Council officials have been forced to re-think enforcement action in a planning row over a pub's sun deck - after finding out THEY own the site.

West Norfolk Council was set to ramp up its response to the Silver Sands Beach Club at Heacham over a pergola and raised viewing platform which were built without planning permission.

But when officers began the enforcement process, they checked who owned the site off the village's North Beach - and found out the council does.

A spokesman said: "Planning permission was refused in February. We have been working with them since then towards the aim of removing of the construction and this has not happened.

"We have commenced the enforcement process and as part of this, we checked the Land Registry. This has shown that we are the landowner and they have a 40-year lease on it, which ends  in 2034.

"That changes things because when the applicant wants to make alterations to the property there is a clause in their lease that says they must check with us first."

The lessee has a ground lease, which allows them to erect a building and Silver Sands was put up by a previous holder. 

The matter has now been passed to the council's property services team to decide what action will be taken.

West Norfolk refused a retrospective planning application for the structure in February.

It said it was "visually incongruous and out of keeping with the rural, coastal locality".

Locals were up in arms over the structure after it was erected next to the club, with several taking to the council's planning portal in protest.

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