As service stations go, it is hardly Birchanger.

But the Heart Services, at the junction of the A146 and A143 at Gillingham, near Beccles, is among Norfolk's biggest.

And under plans lodged with South Norfolk Council, it is about to get a lot bigger. And not everyone is happy about the prospect.

Under the proposals, the site will roughly double in size, taking over an area currently covered by fields.

It will get a farm shop, an electric vehicle charging hub, an M&S food store and a Greggs drive-through.

It already has a McDonald's, a BP petrol station, a KFC and a Starbucks.

The problem - at least for some locals - is that even before those businesses opened, the area was home to a quiet village.

Many of those living there fear that the expansion will mean that this small, rural community and surrounding countryside will be further crowded out by the sprawl from the service station.

They cite existing problems of littering, noise and light pollution linked to the site and say they will worsen.

The developers insist these issues can be tackled and that the project will bring jobs and investment.

 

But Mrs E Wilson, who has lived in the village for 50 years and volunteers at coffee mornings organised at the village hall, is unconvinced.

"As it is, the service station is noisy, I am woken up all the time," she said.

"From my house, I can see the KFC sign. The light pollution the services generates is awful.

"Mcdonald's is 24 hours, it just doesn't stop. If the plans go ahead they will be building even closer to my house.

"The village used to be peaceful and quiet. The plans aren't fair.

"The applicant has said there will be social benefits to a Greggs drive-through which is laughable, how can it be? This coffee morning at the village hall however certainly is sociable.

"I walk my dog every day and on each walk, I fill up a bag of McDonald's and KFC litter. It is just awful."

Beccles & Bungay Journal: A birds-eye view of the Hearts Services in Gillingham, Norfolk, with work being done on the site last yearA birds-eye view of the Hearts Services in Gillingham, Norfolk, with work being done on the site last year (Image: Mike Page)

Brian Bowden, who has lived in the village for 22 years, had similar fears.

"The plans should be scraped. The roads here are so small, we have too much traffic as it is," he added.

"My main issue with drive-throughs is the kind of idiots in their cars they attract. People littering and driving stupidly, at all hours of the night.

"There is no way making the service station even bigger can possibly do any good."

Susan Oglesby, another coffee morning volunteer, has been a Gillingham resident for six years said: "I think it is a truly bad idea. The village doesn't need it.

"It will cause traffic problems and light pollution which is already an issue and just very unfair."

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The land on which the proposed extension to the services would be built The land on which the proposed extension to the services would be built (Image: Bruno Brown)

Lesley Porter, who has lived in the village for 15 years, was not convinced by the plans but suggested the area could benefit from money it could receive from the developers, to spend on local assets.

READ MORE: The dilemma facing every Norfolk village

Mrs Porter, who also volunteers at the coffee mornings, said: "My main concern is road safety and how the increased traffic will impact our little village's infrastructure."

Morris Jeffery has lived in the village for 12 years to enjoy his retirement with his wife. He said the place had changed drastically in such a short period.

"It is no longer the village I know," he added.

"It has changed so much, the whole atmosphere of the place has changed, it was a quiet village, I just don't know when it will stop."

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The services on the roundabout at Gillingham currently has a McDonalds, BP, Starbucks and KFCThe services on the roundabout at Gillingham currently has a McDonalds, BP, Starbucks and KFC (Image: Submitted)

A spokesperson for the developers said: “Our proposals will deliver a host of significant benefits for the local area.

"The creation of around 100 permanent jobs will also be a major boost for the local economy, along with the significant investment we will be providing.

“We are keen that the community can share in this economic boost, with trade counters available for local firms, which are already generating significant levels of interest.

“At the outset, we have ensured that our landscaping strategy is at the heart of our proposals.

"With significant tree planting proposed to enhance the site, our proposals will also provide a considerable biodiversity net gain.”

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The Hearts Services in GillinghamThe Hearts Services in Gillingham (Image: Mike Page)