The Royal Mail said yesterday it would not build a single post box at a housing estate which is expected to grow to more than 2,000 homes - despite previously the development needed a box.

Following complaints from people living on Queen's Hills in Costessey about a lack of a post box in October last year, the Royal Mail said in January that the estate 'did warrant' a post box and hoped to have one installed within 12 weeks.

But last Wednesday they changed their mind and said the estate, which has around 1,500 homes, no longer needed one as there was a post box around two miles away at Sainsbury's in Longwater.

Costessey Parish councillor Gary Blundell whose wife, Sharon, brought up the issue with the Royal Mail said: 'The post box at Sainsbury's is more than two miles away from some parts of the estate and is often full.

'It is another amenity we don't have here.'

At a meeting of Costessey Parish Council on Tuesday night, councillors expressed their anger at the Royal Mail's decision.

Councillor Tim East described the lack of a post box as 'ridiculous' and 'ludicrous' and councillor John Denby said there should be multiple boxes at Queen's Hills.

But the Royal Mail told Mrs Blundell they had changed their mind because the cost of buying and running a post box was 'very considerable' and the number of letters posted was falling.

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: 'The installation of any new or replacement post box involves a study of the proximity of other post boxes, customer usage and density of the local population.

'Whilst we apologise to those customers for any inconvenience, there are no plans to install a new post box in Queen's Hills at this time.'

The parish council will now write to the Royal Mail questioning the decision.