A seaside funfair area has gained permission to carry on bringing joy to families in Gorleston for at least another two years.

The Pop’s Meadow children's play park has a range of new rides introduced by Lewis Gray but despite positive reactions, the changes had led to negative responses from neighbours.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council's development control committee on Wednesday night considered a retrospective planning application from a "Mr L Gray LTH Leisure Ltd" for the attraction and associated facilities at Pavilion Road.

The council had owned the land used as a play area and had sold it earlier in this year.

Objections included an 8ft security fence, the number of mechanical rides and its impact on the look of the area.

However the meeting heard that in the last week 60 letters in favour of the new look play area had been sent in, with people understanding the need for a security fence and saying the rides were preferable to the land being used for homes.

No noise complaints had been reported to the council, the meeting heard.

Eastern Daily Press: Archie Reynolds has fun at Pop's MeadowArchie Reynolds has fun at Pop's Meadow (Image: Archant)

Mr Gray had provided two documents detailing responses to complaints and spoke of his wish as a local family man to create "a safe and friendly" play area in Gorleston. He said he was willing to make changes, including new painted fences and moving larger rides away from homes.

He added: "I am more than willing to change the structure of the fencing."

He also said that he would make sure that only rides lower than the fence line would be installed within 10m of Marine Terrace homes.

An objector, a Mr Edwards, spoke on behalf of some residents and said the fencing had affected the amount of light coming into properties and some had considered moving.

Gorleston councillor Barbara Wright was supportive of Mr Gray's aims.

She said: "It's not noisy, not noisy at all. I hope it does well and the residents are happy as well."

The retrospective application was approved for a 24 month period with several conditions, regarding a new fence, to be monitored by council officers. The site would open 10am to 8pm.

Mr Gray has to provide details on new fencing by November 1.