Plans for three new homes near a village land drain have been turned down.

Developer Fast Mill applied to build a trio of three-bed detached properties on a vacant site at Welney, near Downham Market.

But West Norfolk's planning portal says permission for the scheme, on Hurn Drove, has been refused.

The developer said in a planning statement the landowner hoped to obtain outline planning approval to build three detached houses with "excellent eco credentials" on the site.

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But correspondence from the Manea and Welney District Drainage Commissioners states the site lies within their 9m maintenance strip along a land drainage channel.

It says the applicant should contact it to discuss the works "as a matter of urgency".

One neighbour objected to the proposals on the council's website.

They posted: "I fail to see a need for more housing in Welney, when there is already a large development of unsold new houses in the village."