Plans to upgrade a city park and sports ground have received criticism from locals concerned about a loss of privacy and disruption caused by increased footfall.

The parish council is hoping to expand the existing pavilion at the Church Street side of Old Catton Recreation Ground.

Norwich Evening News: Plans for the proposed schemePlans for the proposed scheme (Image: Broadland District Council)

The project would also see the construction of two single-storey blocks for changing rooms and storage, alongside a new path and access road for maintenance vehicles through a plot currently occupied by a play area. 

A playing space then would be developed at the north end of the recreation ground.

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"The proposal is vast considering the close proximity to our land," said one homeowner in Spixworth Road. 

"The potential for vehicle access in and out of the unit would also cause noise and disturbance to surrounding housing.

Norwich Evening News: An aerial view of the existing pavilion at the recreation groundAn aerial view of the existing pavilion at the recreation ground (Image: Google Maps)

"Increased public footfall on the site [will] increase noise and disturbance... and will cause a loss of privacy.

"The north end [where allotments back onto the park] surely would have had less impact on everyone and kept disturbance to households to a minimum."

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The parish council has argued the expansion is needed to provide more suitable facilities for club and social activities at the site. 

The recreation ground currently plays host to both cricket and tennis.

"The current building lacks storage [and] changing rooms/toilets for staff, players and spectators," application documents state. 

Norwich Evening News: The proposed expansion of the pavilionThe proposed expansion of the pavilion (Image: Broadland District Council)

"It is unable to host and support social gatherings due to the lack of internal space."

Other neighbours have raised concerns about an access road replacing the play area near the junior school.

"The proposed play area will no longer be near the car park and no longer near the school where parents wait to pick up or drop off pupils," they said. 

"This is when it is most used.

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"The other end of the recreation ground is quite a distance away.

"Plans [also] give little indication of the size of the access road, size of vehicles using it, noise from turning them around near the building, the number of times the road will be used and times of day the road will be used."

A decision is expected to be made on the application by December 6.