Proposals to create a treehouse glamping site on the edge of a nature reserve look set to be rejected, after officials raised concerns it would disturb wildlife.
Developers want to create a site of up to 14 treehouses on woodland at Swanton Novers, on the Astley Estate, close to Fakenham.
They have put in initial plans for the first two and have said they would like to build more in the future.
However, officials at North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) have called for the scheme to be rejected.
The Astley Estate is believed to be one of the oldest in Norfolk, dating back to 1236.
It extends across a total of 4,500 acres, split into two areas of countryside.
The developers say the scheme is needed because the income from the treehouses will replace the revenue from timber extraction, helping the estate diversify its commercial operations and fund conservation work.
A planning statement said: “It is important that the woodland conservation work has access to its own income stream through the treehouses, making it resilient to future pressures and less reliant on grant funding.”
Under the plans submitted to the council, people staying on the estate would have to park away from the treehouses, potentially using wheelbarrows to carry their luggage.
The barrows could also contain an arrival kit, including umbrellas, torches and wellington boots.
The developers acknowledged this could make it difficult for people with mobility issues to use the site, but said this could be addressed with future proposals.
But in a report to the council planning committee - which will meet next Thursday - NNDC officials raised a series of concerns about the scheme.
They said it failed to meet council policies, would not be sustainable due to the rural location, and that additional future development could impact the “nocturnal character of the area”.
While they acknowledged potential biodiversity and economic benefits – including extra tourism spending – the officers said it was not enough to weigh in favour of approving the scheme.
"Given the scale of the development proposed it is considered that any economic and employment benefits arising from the proposals would be limited," they said.
"The proposed development would fail to protect the appearance, tranquillity and rurality of the surrounding rural landscape.
"It is considered that the proposal is remote from local service centre provision conflicting with the aims of sustainable development, the need to minimise travel, and the ability to encourage walking, cycling, use of public transport and reduce the reliance on the private car."
Nicole Wright, a planning consultant for the applicant, said the scheme is a small-scale project which will deliver a "10,000pc biodiversity net gain" and criticised the officer's assertions it would not improve sustainability.
She said: "This treehouse project combines environmentalism, design excellence, and social entrepreneurialism."
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