A housing development planned to be built on a protected wildlife haven will destroy protected space, according to a campaigner.

About 60 people turned up at Hethersett Parish Council on Monday to give their opinions on the 27-home development planned for land between Queens Road and Jaguar Road, known as The Paddock.

The parish council voted unanimously to object to the proposal, which was submitted to South Norfolk Council in July.

James Utting, a spokesman for the Save the Paddock Group, said: 'A large number of those who turned up spoke against the development.

'Reasons as to why people were against the decision included; destruction of a protected space and pressures on local infrastructure.'

Recently, an application for 1,200 houses to be built between Hethersett and Cringleford had been accepted and Mr Utting said there had been strong objections for the new proposed development on the South Norfolk council planning website.

'The district councillor David Bills said that Hethersett had already taken more than its needed quota of housing.

'The paddock is designated as an important open space and we would have been surprised if the parish council hadn't objected. They have been left in no doubt how the community feels and what to report back to the council,' said Mr Utting.

Joff Brooker, director at Fleur Development, said at the beginning of August that the development would make The Paddock a more accessible area.

'It has been designated as open public space in the past and all we want to do is to create a permanent and accessible area of space. The land will be carefully maintained by a trust to enhance and protect the current biodiversity of the area,' he said.

South Norfolk Council will consider the application for housing to be built on The Paddock on October 15.

Are you objecting to a planning application in your community? Email newsdesk@archant.co.uk