A barn in rural Norfolk will be demolished and replaced with two new houses, despite opposition from the parish council.

Councillors voted by nine votes to one in favour of the single-storey two-bedroom and two storey four-bedroom homes at a Monday meeting of Breckland District Council’s planning committee.

The homes will be put up in place of the barn at Manor Farm on Church Road in Whinburgh.

An officer said that “the character and appearance of the area is considered to be improved as a result of this scheme”.

But Whinburgh and Westfield parish councillor Mark Hansell argued that Breckland’s officers and planning committee would “lose all integrity and credibility” if they voted in favour, because the barn is outside the village’s settlement boundary.

The parish council also warned in a written representation of contamination from broken or degraded asbestos sheeting, which it said seemed "inevitable" to have occurred.

Permission was granted for the homes, but an attached condition will see that the site is investigated for contamination.