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Search the Public Notice PortalThey are not exactly noisy neighbours, but the number of elderly people in Diss is starting to raise concerns.
Plans to open another care home in the town have led to criticism from locals that it is becoming an "old people's town".
They have raised their objections with Diss Town Council, which appears to share them.
It has warned that the number of care homes is "stifling economic progress".
The proposed three-storey, 66-bed care home, on the site of a former factory on Park Road, would be the eighth in the town, which has a population of 9,861.
A number of people have criticised the proposals.
They said: "I do like the idea but it feels like the town is being made into an old people’s town."
One woman, who said she was in her 80s, believes the town does have an elderly population.
She said: "I bet if you really know the population of each age group there would be a lot of us in the older bracket."
According to estimated figures from 2024, 2,640 of the town’s population are aged over 65. It means just under one in four people in Diss are in that age bracket.
The Office for National Statistics estimates that between 2011 and 2021, the number of people aged over 65 in South Norfolk increased by 30.1pc.
Graham Minshull, Conservative councillor for Diss and Roydon on South Norfolk Council, questioned whether there is demand for another facility.
He said: "Is there a demand in the town? I am not convinced.
"There is issues with the parking as well. There is a lot of issues with it."
Mr Minshull added he felt the care home was in the wrong location.
Another objector added: "Diss already accommodates several elderly care facilities.
"A development of this scale risks turning the town into an ageing community, potentially discouraging younger people and families from settling here."
One objector said having so many retirement homes is changing the vibrancy of the south Norfolk town.
They said: "Diss is tired. I cannot see how this will help commerce and business to give our youngsters reason to stay and thrive in Diss."
But not everyone is convinced the town has too many care homes.
David and Vivien Osborne said: "There are not enough care homes.
"If people are living longer you need more accommodation for them."
Another man, who did not wish to be named, added: "Even if it is too many for the population, people from other places don’t always go to a care home near where they live."
South Norfolk Council's planning committee is due to rule on the application next week.
LNT Care Developments wants to build the home on the site of the former Norfolk Feather Factory, which went into liquidation in 2022.
Opponents have also criticised the design and warned it will lead to traffic problems.
Neighbours in Pipers Gardens, which backs onto the proposed development, fear their gardens will be overlooked by the three-storey care home.
Glenn Smith, who lives in the close, said: "It is way too big and out of proportion.
"It has about 20 windows overlooking our garden.
"If they go ahead, we won’t be able to sit out in the garden at all without people overlooking us."
Mr Smith added that some of the care home’s storage, such as for its bins and deliveries, will be right next to his garden wall.
Another neighbour said: "It is the size and way which they are doing it which concerns us."
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