A landowner who put up buildings without planning permission will be forced to remove them or face prosecution.

Members of the planning committee at the Broads Authority yesterday voted to serve an enforcement notice on the site behind Back Lane in Burgh Castle after the range of buildings was laid bare.

They are a large barn, a workshop, a building holding a large freezer, a kennel with three dog runs, two chicken coops, two oil containers, a red railway wagon and a green metal container.

The area has attracted controversy in recent months after fears that large scale shooting parties were planned in the area.

A packed public meeting was held by Burgh Castle Parish Council and an online petition attracted more than 15,400 signatures.

But a report submitted to the meeting yesterday allayed fears when the head of development management, Cally Smith, wrote that 'no evidence has been found to demonstrate that shooting has taken place (or is proposed)'.

Once the planning control enforcement notice has been served, the landowner will have until Christmas to remove the buildings, or he will be prosecuted.

The report says there are permitted development rights which apply to agricultural buildings in certain circumstances – but it says these rights do not apply to the Burgh Castle site.

The report explains: 'This is because, firstly this is not an agricultural unit, secondly there is no evidence to demonstrate that the buildings are reasonably necessary for purposes of agriculture here and thirdly there is a procedure which applies in such circumstances and it has not been followed here and cannot be applied retrospectively.'

It adds that the buildings are not within the domestic curtilage to the house on the land, so does not benefit from the householder permitted development rights either.

The meeting heard that the landowner's agent has been contacted by the Broads Authority on a number of occasions since mid April, but has not responded.

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