A bid to build 240 houses and a discount supermarket on the coast has prompted concern about the impact of increased traffic on the area.

Norfolk County Council, which owns the 34 acres of farmland south of Links Road between Gorleston and Hopton, has commissioned NPS Property Consultants to submit a planning application on the site.

But objections to the proposal have said it would lead to “chaos”.

The development would see 240 new houses, with 15pc of these being affordable housing, and a LIDL supermarket with a carpark containing 130 spaces.

There would be a mix of one to four bedroom houses including single, two and two and a half storey homes, and access to the development would be from Links Road.

While a public drop-in event will not be held due to the coronavirus pandemic, a website has been set up to allow the community browse the plans and comment on specific aspects of the proposals.

So far the plans have received more than 100 responses, with many concerned Links Road is not adequate to cope with the “inevitable” increased volume in traffic.

One person said: “The entrance will cause havoc at the top of Links Road.”

Another said: “The road is not big enough to cope with the influx of traffic and people, and it would bring chaos to a small residential area of a mainly elderly population.”

The thought of the adjacent A47 roundabout becoming “backlogged with traffic trying to get in and out of a 130-space supermarket” led another respondent to say the development would be “totally inappropriate for the area”.

Another person asked: “Would the designer be happy to have years living with stunning countryside as a view from their window only for it to be replaced with a carpark and supermarket?”

Although many respondents agreed south Gorleston needs a grocery shopping option, some have said it should instead be located at Beacon Park.

One person said: “A Waitrose would more appropriate for residents’ budget/choices and more aesthetically pleasing on the eye.”

Those wishing to study the plans and submit comments to the developer can visit https://linksroad.commonplace.is/