Villagers say they feel 'swamped' after further plans to build homes in Martham have come forward, pushing the community to 'breaking point.'

A landowner has submitted proposals for a 144-home estate on land to the south of Repps Road.

The bid has sparked anger among locals, as it is the fourth major housing plan to be put forward in the village over the last two years.

Bidwells, a property management company who sent the application on behalf of the landowner said in the documents the benefits the site would bring would outweigh any 'limited' adverse impacts.

However, Russell Hemmings from Martham, in an online consultation response to the plans said: 'This is going to destroy the village. All services including schools and doctors will be stretched beyond breaking point.'

Sean Plater who is also from Martham said: 'The village cannot cope well enough now and there are lots of other developments going ahead in this quaint village, of which I have lived in for 43 years. This is getting too much and the village is getting spoilt by all this development.

'I am not against change and development but it has to be in the right place.'

The land is currently unused and the plans feature a mixture of two to five bedroom houses - some of which will be affordable homes.

A planning statement by Bidwells said: 'It is considered the limited adverse impacts such as the loss of agricultural land and visual impacts will not significantly outweigh the considerable social and economic benefits. 'The scheme's benefits include the provision of new homes, both market and affordable, and jobs for builders and construction sector workers.'

There are a number of other planning applications currently ongoing in the village.

Planning permission was approved in March 2015 for a total of 125 homes on Hemsby Road. This has since been reduced to 108 and to now include land for employment.

Consent was also given this year for 100 new homes on the former Mushroom Farm site near White Street.

Meanwhile a plan to build 55 homes on Rollesby Road on the Broiler Farm site is currently awaiting final decision.

Should all the plans be completed, it would see an increase of over 400 homes.

The most recent population census in 2011 showed that the village has 3,569 homes.

On the back of Great Yarmouth Borough Council's Core Strategy to implement over 7,000 homes by 2030, Noel Mitchell from the Martham Local History Group said he would not be surprised to see the village's population eventually reach 5,000.

Mr Mitchell who is the chairman of the group said: 'The village has already surpassed several towns in population size.

'People are concerned about these plans especially those living on Rising Way which could be used as an access road to the site.

Martham Parish Council vice chairman Paul Hooper said: 'I feel like we are getting swamped.

'We are getting plans for a lot of development at the moment.

'However, we need to wait for the final details for the latest plans before I can really make a comment on what we like or don't like.'