The North Norfolk District Council offices at Cromer. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY

A group of residents from North Walsham who endured years of misery over lorries using a near-by site breathed a sigh of relief as councillors gave the go-ahead for the vehicles to relocate.

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North Norfolk District Council’s development committee approved plans for liquid waste company, Enviroco Ltd, to move lorries from its Marshgate site to its proposed new home in Cornish Way on the town’s Lyngate industrial estate.

The company was under notice to quit its site or face prosecution but councillors approved the move despite recommendations from the Environment Agency, who advised that a hard surface and drainage should be installed before the move.

In a letter read out in the meeting resident Peter Moore, who represents the Spa Common area, said residents would be happy for the offices to stay at Marshgate temporarily but not the lorries, adding: “[It is] for the safety of children and people in the site.”

He also said the saga had been “dragging on” for more than three and a half years so it was no surprise when today’s decision was followed by a round of applause from about a dozen Spa Common residents, who attended the committee meeting.

Operations director of Enviroco Ltd Alister Wait, said: “We want to put this behind us, build bridges and move on.”

He also quashed concerns from residents that drivers would continue travelling to the old site to hand in time sheets. He said the company planned to eventually use email to correspond between sites and in the meantime would use cars to travel between them.

There were also concerns over where maintenance and cleaning would be carried out and Mr Wait explained that this would be done off-site - mainly at locations in Norwich.

He hoped that eventually they would expand Cornish Way to have a purpose-built site.