Locals prepared to launch judicial review over roadside service station

The district council approved the expansion in July this year, paving the way for the construction of a farm shop, drive-thru café and two other buildings, alongside landscaping and new internal road infrastructure on the site.

However, Friends of Gillingham (Norfolk) Countryside Community Interest Company has said the decision would "destroy" countryside within sight of the Broads National Park and lead to "massive overdevelopment of a small, rural village increasing light pollution and the risk of flooding".

The group, which has instructed Sharpe Pritchard, is collecting donations on Crowd Justice, with the aim of launching a challenge to quash the planning permission.

A statement published on its crowdfunding page said: "We have taken legal advice and we believe that the Planning Approval decision-making was unlawful."

It later added: "We have engaged a respected and successful legal team specialising in judicial review and public law to take our case to Court, if required.

"We need to reach the initial target of £10,000 within 30 days and then a longer-term target of £20,000 to £40,000 to be able to fully challenge the decision at Judicial Review."

The group has currently raised over £1,700.

South Norfolk Council has been approached for comment.

Adam Carey