A bid by the national trust has been put forward plans for a new visitor centre at Morston Quay has been met with opposition from members of the public who believe they are unnecessary.
The trust is proposing to replace the current temporary toilet and staff building with a permanent structure to ‘provide sufficient WC facilities. Changing Places, staff welfare and accommodation.
One objector said: “The local businesses attract the public and the local area provides the amenity that they seek, not the National Trust.
“There has been no consultation with local people, and no effort made by the Trust to communicate these plans.
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Another commented: “The needs of these people are met more than adequately by the existing facilities.
“The vast majority of visitor traffic is generated by the local, family-run business on Blakeney Point.
“These families offer a fantastic welcome and expertise on the local flora, fauna and history.
"The presence or otherwise of NT staff and facilities, other than toilets, is wholly incidental to these visitors - the fact that the NT has chosen to charge them to park and to sell them food, both from their building and from a burger van, is a commercial exploitation, not a charitable amenity.”
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A National Trust spokesperson said: "We recently submitted plans to improve the visitor facilities at Morston Quay.
"We feel it’s important that visitors to the area in our care, are provided with adequate toilet facilities.
"We are therefore looking to replace two temporary portacabins with a new single-storey toilet block with a sedum roof.
"This would also include a changing places facility so that those with accessibility needs have equal access to this part of the Norfolk Coast.
“As part of our design proposal, we have included a small welfare space for staff and volunteers who support our conservation work in the area, giving them access to a kettle, seating and desks to carry out their work, such as stock-taking.
"We feel as an employer, this is something we should be doing.
"Repurposing the original small toilet building that is no longer fit for purpose would also give us storage space for the café, enabling us to cut down the number of food deliveries to the site, thereby helping to reduce our carbon footprint and traffic on what can be a busy access road.
“Morston Quay is a place that is held in special affection by our charity, the local community and visitors alike, we have therefore been sensitive in our proposed plans for development.
"As part of our pre-app consultation, we took local feedback on board.
"This isn’t about creating a new visitor centre or about making money, but providing visitors, staff and volunteers with the facilities they need.”
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