Plans for 'abhorrent' visitor facilities withdrawn

The National Trust has withdrawn "abhorrent" proposals to improve facilities for visitors which it said would increase accessibility to one of its sites.

Plans included a welcome area with accessible toilets and areas for staff at Morston Quay on the Norfolk coast near Blakeney.

Objectors included Morston Parish Council, who called the scheme "abhorrent" and "unnecessary" and believed the existing former toilet block should be kept and redeveloped, not converted into storage space.

"We have taken on board comments from the local community and have decided to withdraw our current planning application," the National Trust said.

While a visitor welcome area and lookout building with toilets already exists on the site, it is not accessible for everyone because it has steps.

However, in the plans submitted in July 2024, the building would be single level to make it accessible and it would have more toilets.

The proposals also included moving the car park ticket machine, shade for staff and the conversion of the existing toilet block into storage.

The National Trust said the original plans included replacing temporary toilets with permanent ones.

The parish council said: "Almost everything about this proposal is abhorrent.

"It is the wrong building, in the wrong place for the wrong purpose.

"Morston residents and quay users have been seeking improved toilet facilities for over 20 years, but this is not the solution to their needs.

"We have been presented with an enormous and unnecessary new development which will fundamentally change the character of Morston Quay and seems designed to create a full-time visitor and administrative hub for the National Trust as a priority, introducing office space and adding retail space, while also providing new toilets."

The parish council added that although the National Trust stated the former toilets could not be repurposed or redeveloped, the application "makes it clear" the existing building could be adapted.

It believed if the building could be reused as storage space, it could be redeveloped, enlarged and improved.

The National Trust added: "We are grateful to everyone who engaged with our planning application for improved visitor facilities at Morston Quay."

The heritage and conservation body said the application would be revised with the intention of resubmitting it to North Norfolk District Council later this year.

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