Swallows zig zag over the flint cottages and barn conversions, with their red-tiled roofs.

But feathers have been flying over a couple's new nest on the corner of the village green.

London theatre producer Adam Spiegel and his wife Gay have been ordered to pull down Arcady, their contemporary house in Cley, after a lengthy planning row.

Eastern Daily Press: Arcady, on the Holt Road in CleyArcady, on the Holt Road in Cley (Image: Chris Bishop)

Mr Spiegel, producer of West End hit Mousetrap and Hairspray, and his wife have until next October to demolish the property on Holt Road and remove all trace of it, apart from its swimming pool and an annex.

Opinions remain divided in a quiet corner of the village which has been thrust into the media spotlight.

"I've come from Overstrand, I was on my way to Blakeney so I thought I'd come and have a look at it," said one woman as she pulled up outside the house's imposing wooden gates on Friday.

Eastern Daily Press: West End theatre producer Adam SpiegelWest End theatre producer Adam Spiegel (Image: Newsquest)

"It doesn't look too bad does it, it's not as bad as it looked on the TV.

"I must admit it wouldn't be my choice, but people do knock things down and build."

Across the road, a group of women outside the towering St Margaret's Church, also did not wish to be indentified.

When asked why it was no name, no pack-drill in the village, one said: "We're all getting fed up with all the attention, to be honest I can tell you that.

"No comment, we have nothing more to say."

Eastern Daily Press: The house built by the Spiegels in CleyThe house built by the Spiegels in Cley (Image: Chris Bishop)

A man parked up a few doors down said: "I don't think it looks particularly bad.

"It's tucked away in the trees, there's a lot worse than that in Burnham Market and they do live in it - it's not like that's a holiday home."

No-one was answering the doorbell to the property, although there were signs it was not deserted.

"It looks like a monstrosity from here and it's not in keeping with the village at all," another man said. "It wants pulling down."

Others said planning rules needed to be adhered to to prevent a free-for-all.

Eastern Daily Press: Cottages nestle along the green in CleyCottages nestle along the green in Cley (Image: Chris Bishop)

Cley, with its famed windmill and reedbeds, is largely built from flint and brick.

Some have described the Spiegels' house as resembling "a dystopian castle" in comparison to the cottages and barn conversions which nestle around it in a village with an average property price of £850,664 according to the Rightmove website.

In 2013, North Norfolk council rejected Mr Spiegel’s bid to build a two-storey house and swimming pool because the design was considered "inappropriate" for Cley.

That decision was overturned by the Planning Inspectorate, with permission granted on the condition the development was carried out in accordance with the drawings in the original plan.

Eastern Daily Press: Arcady, on the Holt Road in CleyArcady, on the Holt Road in Cley (Image: Chris Bishop)

In 2019, the council served an enforcement notice on the couple to demolish all buildings on the site because the development was bigger than the approved plan.

The couple lodged a revised planning application, which was turned down.

Their appeal for the retention of the property was dismissed by a government planning inspector last week.