People lining up against plans to create a new holiday park in a tiny Norfolk hamlet have been heartened by the support of actor Griff Rhys Jones.

Browston Hall, at Browston Green, near Gorleston, wants to transform its golf and leisure club into a countryside holiday haven with 80 holiday lodges.

%image(14374712, type="article-full", alt="Browston Hall has submitted plans with Great Yarmouth Borough Council which could see 50 luxury lodges, new indoor entertainment and spa facilities built.")

It says the business is unviable - the impact of Covid adding to its woes - and that changes are needed to get it back on its feet.

The community and parish council have already been consulted as part of the bid with more than 80 homes sent leaflets and a public meeting held on December 10 drawing a range of concerns.

%image(14374713, type="article-full", alt="People gathered in the sport centre for the Browston Hall meeting")

Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis is among those pushing back against the scheme saying local residents have made "strong and valid" objections.

Jean Samuels, who was born in Browston but now lives in Belton, wrote to Griff Rhys Jones who is president of the Victorian Society outlining her concerns.

%image(14374714, type="article-full", alt="Jean Samuels with her letter of support from Griff Rhys Jones who has been active in supporting planning battles closer to his home in Suffolk.")

She said the holiday plan was a threat to the peaceful hamlet and reached out to the actor, who lives in Suffolk and had supported other protests.

In his response he said Browston was "a little far north" for him to be directly involved but said he was with campaigners "in spirit" and gave advice on how best to fight the scheme.

%image(14374715, type="article-full", alt="Griff Rhys Jones in the gardens of the Treehouse in Ipswich - he has described it as a "really impressive place"")

The letter said that while "making noise" about developments was important he didn't think his individual voice would make much difference.

In Felixstowe where he and community had fought a bid to remove beach huts, their railings had had no effect on the council vote.

%image(14374716, type="article-full", alt="The letter from Griff Rhys Jones adding his voice to the debate about the future of Browston Hall which wants to add 80 holiday lodges to its grounds as well as spa and leisure facilities.")

Similarly, despite garnering front page coverage against a "hugely insensitive" development in Woodbridge it all fell on deaf ears.

%image(14374717, type="article-full", alt="A presentation on the Browston Hall plans was shown")

However, he said he hoped that law and policy would be on their side, and that the best way to have their say would be at the ballot box.

The Woodland Trust, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the countryside charity CPRE Norfolk have signalled their opposition.

%image(14374718, type="article-full", alt="One of the presentation slides about the proposed changes to Browston Hall shown at the meeting")

Hundreds of people have also put their name to a petition.

Papers in support of the scheme say it is a sustainable, designed to a high standard, and sympathetic to its surroundings.

The bid is being dealt with as two applications, one for the eastern and one for the southern side.