Plans to knock down a care home in a north Norfolk beauty spot and replace it with eight homes have been rejected by government officials.

Kelling Estate wanted to build a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes on the old Kelling Park Care Home site off Holgate Hill, behind Holt Garden Centre, but it was rejected by North Norfolk District Council last year.

Kelling Estate then appealed to the government's Planning Inspectorate to try to get the decision overturned.

While the inspectors praised the plans for utilising sustainable building techniques, contributing to the local economy and trying to meet a local housing need, they ultimately sided with the council.

The inspector argued that NNDC's policies for the area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) provides "a clear reason for refusing the appeal scheme" and the rural nature of the homes would mean that the residents would have to travel by car.

In a written decision, the inspector said: "The proposal would cause significant harm and it would therefore be contrary to the [council's] development plan."