Officials need to be vigilant new housing does not spoil Holt, a concerned resident told town councillors.

John Wharfe was unhappy with the 100-homes allocation off the Cley Road, where he lives, made in the Local Development Framework planning blueprint by a government inspector, who favoured it ahead of the land near Gresham's School.

During town council public question time he said: 'If we felt this development would be for the greater benefit of Holt we would grit our teeth.' But he feared the impact on the townscape and traffic could harm the town, and stressed he was not taking a 'Nimby' attitude.

Mr Wharfe said he realised the decision was made, and could not be overturned but but asked for the authorities to be vigilant.

Fellow Cley Road resident Susan Rogers said parking and traffic were already problems, and was worried the housing would 'erode the thin belt between the coast and Holt' which was a 'fabulous place'.

She also voiced concerns about the 'unofficial parking' of 50 cars a day taking place on the layby at Letheringsett Hill.

Town council chairman Bryan Payne said there had been plans to build in the Cley Road area since the 1970s. The unofficial parking situation should ease when the town's long-awaited new car park was finally built.

And Rhu Bruce Lockhart said a Vision plan aiming to shape Holt's future was looking at all development issues to ensure the town was 'sustained in the way we want it to be.'