Fishermen in the Norfolk seaside village of Sea Palling have won a battle against second homeowners who complained about noise from their boatyard.
The dispute, which has divided the community, centred on a yard where local fishermen have stored their boats and equipment since the early 1980s.
Second homeowners took their concerns to North Norfolk District Council, claiming the noise was disrupting the area's peace and quiet.
The council initially rejected the fishermen's application for a certificate of lawfulness but has now decided not to issue an enforcement notice against them.
Beach goers on Sea Palling beach in Norfolk
PA
Richard Clarke, a third-generation fisherman in Sea Palling, called the result "unbelievable" and praised the strong community spirit.
"It is marvellous. I feel very hopeful, it's heart-warming to have all this support," he said.
Clarke noted that while they welcome holidaymakers and are friendly with many second homeowners, "there is one family causing the problem."
He warned that if the fishermen lost access to the land, adding: "it would kill it for us...Nobody would take over after us, we will be the last generation to fish commercially here."
Fishing on Sea Palling beach in Norfolk
WikiCommons
The dispute centres on a yard approximately 100 metres from the sea where several fishermen have stored their gear and vessels for decades. When conditions are favourable, they use tractors to tow their boats along a road called the Marrams to the slipway at Beach Road to access the beach.
The yard's owner applied for a Certificate of Lawfulness to ensure the land had proper permissions after complaints arose.
Second homeowners objected, arguing the yard had become more "industrial" over time, with larger boats and more equipment.
One objector claimed: "The landowner appears to want free reign to do anything he wishes - not necessarily related to historical small-scale local fishing."
Mark Casson, who runs the Lifeboat Tavern pub, said: "The whole village is backing the fishermen. We are so proud to have them here."
His colleague Matthew Fernando added: "The whole village is behind them. In a small village like this you have the beauty and the privilege of fishermen fishing off your shores."
Long-term residents argue the influx of outsiders has created a housing shortage, pushing up property prices and leaving communities like "ghost towns" in the off-season. The parish council has also been fighting in support of the fishermen.
The Liberal Democrat led council initially refused the request due to what they called an "intensification of the site" that was "not of sufficient duration or evidenced to be established as lawful".
However, they acknowledged the site had been used for storing small boats and equipment for over a decade.
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