Pic for EDP story - Housing in Cley and Blakeney - Blakeney village sign. Pic by Keiron Tovell.

Planners have given their unanimous backing to a 24-home scheme in a north Norfolk coastal village.

Hillside Residential wants to build the mix of houses, bungalows and flats at the southern edge of Blakeney, on land west of Langham Road.

Half the homes would be affordable and North Norfolk District Council’s (NNDC) development committee heard this morning that Blakeney Parish Council was strongly in favour of at least 50pc of those properties being earmarked for local people.

“It is terribly difficult for young people, particularly with jobs in the area, to remain in the village because of the lack of affordable homes,”

Tony Faulkner, parish council chairman, told the committee.

Members heard that by April next year NNDC expected to be able to “maximise” the number of people with a strong local connection on the allocations list for sites which included a mix of open-market and affordable homes. Hillside is also expected to contribute towards recreational facilities for Blakeney as part of a Section 106 agreement attached to its planning permission.