Shoppers in Diss will have less parking spaces if plans to build on more than 60 spaces from a supermarket in the town go ahead.

Morrisons, on Victoria Road, has submitted plans to South Norfolk Council to 're-purpose' an area of its car park and build new retail pods and units.

The store's car park currently has 537 spaces, including disabled and family spaces, and 12 trolley bays. Under the plans submitted to the district council this number would be reduced by 62 spaces to 475, with the number of trolley bays being reduced by 25pc.

In total there would be four retail units accompanied by a further retail pod, car wash pod and tyre pod.

The four retail units would be located towards the front of the car park, opposite the petrol station, while the pods would be stationed at the back of the car park.

The application was submitted to the council at the end of last month but has already received a number of objections from residents.

The biggest fear is the new retail outlets will 'polarise' the town centre of Diss, and it would 'undermine' the recent work done by Diss Town Council with the Heritage Triangle Project as it would encourage shoppers not travel into the town centre.

There are also fears that increasing the amount of retail outlets on the site, more traffic would come to the area. One residents says he has noticed 'there is no traffic assessment in the application,' and that, 'Victoria Road is already gridlocked most of the time. Further retail traffic to this area will only make the situation worse.'

The Diss Heritage Triangle refers to a £3.4m project which aimed to revamp the historic centre of Diss.

The project included four main areas - Renovating the grade II listed Corn Hall, creating a new wildlife friendly garden and floating boardwalk at Mere's Mouth, creating new road designs for St Nicholas Street, Market Hill and Market Place and placing interpretation boards around the heritage triangle.

A public meeting is being held with members of Diss Town Council at the Corn Hall, at 6pm, on Wednesday, November 22, to discuss the impact the plans may have.

Morrisons have been contacted for a comment.