A council which is set to spend £16,000 upgrading a car park and introducing a permit scheme for residents say they fear 'stirring up a hornet's nest' over the plans.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) has agreed to pay for the resurfacing of the Roman Place car park, behind Regent's Road, later this year.
The site, which was previously described as "the most disgraceful car park in Great Yarmouth", will be divided into 12 residents and three disabled bays, and offer parking for nearby businesses.
Richard Alexander, multi-disciplinary enforcement officer at the council, told a meeting of the town's area committee, held on Tuesday, December 10, that the cost for a complete resurface would be from £250,000 to £400,000.
"In February I was awarded a budget of £16,000," he said.
"I have to do my best with that."
He told the committee the county council's highways team had "trialled a system which they feel would be suitable for Roman Place so we can demarcate and provide efficient parking and routes for emergency vehicles".
The new surface has to be laid in the warmer months and the council says it is waiting for confirmation of the work from highways before scheduling an eight-12 week consultation period.
Mr Alexander said: "When we have a date I can begin consulting with the local landowners.
"I wouldn't want to go out sooner than that because I feel it will just stir up a hornets nest."
Josie Fitzgerald, from the community group People of North Yarmouth (PoNY), said: "If this is the plan then what are we going to consultation for? If residents are having a say then we need to make sure their say is valid."
Mr Alexander said: "We could tweak the scheme to local desires but we can't facilitate people having a space for their own use."
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And committee vice-chair Kerry Robinson-Payne, Labour councillor for Nelson, added: "There's a lot of people in that area who consider that they own those parking spaces.
"People are very upset about it."
Mr Alexander said at the consultation stage the council would request residents' own 'no parking' signs be removed and added: "I anticipate there will be some local objection to that."
He said there would be an interim grace period and added that after that: "We're going forward with a fairly strict regime to make sure the parking isn't done as it is now."
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