Town hall bosses are pressing ahead with a controversial permit parking scheme, despite just one in 10 people signalling their support for it.

Drivers parking in Great Yarmouth face charges to leave their vehicle in many streets east of the river if the seafront Zone A scheme is extended to include a Zone B.

Just one in ten people signalled their support for the proposed Zone B scheme when asked, and Central and Northgate councillor Lee Sutton said this shows 'no significant desire' to pursue it.

But his fellow ward councillor Mick Castle, who chairs the car parking steering group, said it shows a 'real appetite' for the scheme - as of the 21pc of people who did respond, 53pc indicated their support.

Norfolk County Council said it is now checking whether the scheme is likley to be self financing - a major factor in deciding whether parking permits are extended.

Speaking this week, Mr Castle said: 'The results show there is a real appetite among householders for this scheme, which would ensure residents will be able to park near their homes, rather than having to walk from a distance, as they do at the moment.

'The new permit scheme will enhance the value of properties and will make rented properties more attractive to prospective tenants.

'Every leading holiday resort already protects its local residents' on-street parking in this way.'

But Mr Sutton, writing on his blog, said: 'I conclude on the evidence of the consultation that there is no significant desire for a new Zone B resident's permit parking scheme.'

He added of the proposed Zone B scheme, 'as it stands at the moment I cannot support its creation'.

Annual permits would cost £40 per household and £130 per business, with talk of one-day passes so as not to exclude tourists.

A total of 3,111 people were asked for their views.

The consultation included properties within the proposed Zone B, plus some outside of the boundary.

A total of 659 of the 3,111 consultees responded to the post-back survey, representing just over 21pc of people asked.

Of the 406 households responding within the planned Zone B, 53pc were supportive of the introduction of the permit parking, while 39pc were against and 8pc were undecided.

And 57pc said they experienced real difficulty with parking.

If approved by both councils, the new Zone B scheme would be introduced in spring 2014, at the same time as planned pilot schemes for new visitor parking are brought in for some streets in Zone A.

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