A liquid waste company under notice to quit its north Norfolk site has seven weeks to get out or face prosecution, after planners lost patience with its pleas for more time to relocate.

North Norfolk District Council's development committee rejected their officers' recommendation and will tell Enviroco Ltd that it will not vary the terms of its earlier enforcement notice, giving it until January 27 to leave.

The firm had pleaded for an extension until September 28 next year because of planning hold-ups with its proposed new home in Cornish Way, adjoining the town's Lyngate industrial estate.

Drainage problems meant planning permission was only granted last month and Enviroco said it needed 40 weeks construction time.

Today's decision saw hugs of relief in the council chamber among about a dozen Spa Common residents living near Enviroco's Marshgate site in North Walsham. who attended the committee meeting.

They feared councillors would support the recommendation to give Enviroco until the end of June to make alternative arrangements because of concern about the jobs of its 16 full-time employees.

Councillors heard that Enviroco, formerly HFS, had lost both an appeal against refusal of planning permission for the site in 2008 and an appeal about the subsequent enforcement notice because Norfolk County Council's highways chiefs and a government inspector both had serious concerns about road safety.

Peter Moore, who represents the area, said the narrow lanes, used by walkers, cyclists and children walking to and from school, were totally unsuitable for the size of heavy lorries used by the firm.

'This matter has been dragging on for a lot of years now and residents are fed-up,' said Mr Moore. It was 'completely inappropriate' that planning officers should recommend setting aside a government inspector's decision, he added.

It was wrong to view Enviroco as a small, local firm. It was part of an international group which could afford to park its lorries elsewhere until its new site was ready.