THE problem of cars clogging streets near the James Paget University Hospital (JPH) is set to be tackled by town hall bosses.

Residents have begun to flag up local concerns - such as parking near the hospital - at Gorleston Area Committee meetings.

And council chiefs are now working to address problems, including conservation in Riverside Road and overgrown foliage around Williamson’s Look Out.

Trevor Wainwright, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, chaired Monday’s meeting attended by more than 60 members of the public.

And the Magdalen ward councillor said people are pleased that Gorleston is now in the spotlight as well as Yarmouth.

“It was very positive and I think people went away feeling optimistic,” said Mr Wainwright. “It’s the way forward for Gorleston after being neglected for 12 years.”

He explained the main talking points were the Area Conservation Plan and car parking.

On the point of conservation, residents were concerned about development in the Riverside Road area. They said the land slip at the White Lion steps - which nearly saw a schoolboy crushed to death - would not have happened if residents had been consulted and planning permission for new homes was blocked.

Bosses agreed to form a conservation area advisory group made up of about six local residents.

“They will be a recognised group that would work with the heritage department within the town hall,” said Mr Wainwright. “They will have credibility and can feed into planning.”

Residents were also concerned about parking problems near the hospital - with people unable to get a space in the car park so spilling out onto the Cliff Park estate and the Magdalen estate.

A small task and finish group made up of a mix of councillors and residents is being formed as a result of concerns. They will look at the issues and come up with proposals to go to the car parking strategy meeting on October 9. Other concerns voiced included toilet attendants being made redundant, the increasing size of the children’s trampoline site on Gorleston beach and repairs to shelters at the seafront.

The first-ever Gorleston Area Committee meeting was held in June, and Monday’s meeting was the first of the full committee - with an action plan detailing how concerns will be tackled. Previously there was only a Yarmouth Area Committee and Gorleston residents said they had no outlet.

“A lady stood up at the end of the meeting and said it’s like a breath of fresh air and at last Gorleston is being heard,” he said.

The next meeting of Gorleston Area Committee is on Tuesday, October 2 at Gorleston Library from 6pm to 8pm.