1. Bar owner wins battle with council over opening hours

The piano bar will be able to open past midnight (Image: Newsquest)

A man who wants to open a piano bar in a church has won a battle with the council over opening restrictions which would have crippled his business.

John Taylor, who is converting St Michael at Plea church on Redwell Street, was told by Norwich City Council that he cannot open past midnight – with music needing to stop at 11pm.

However, Mr Taylor, who believed the plans had been handled poorly by the authority, took the matter to government planning inspectors who overturned City Hall's ruling.

The council granted permission for the jazz bar in July this year, but part of its approval included a clause which said the premises would not trade past midnight on any day of the week.

But the businessman vowed to fight the council’s opening time restriction and has now won.

2. Major supermarket installs CCTV and floodlights

Morrisons, in Cromer (Image: Google Maps)

A major supermarket installed CCTV and new floodlights without getting the council's permission first, it has been revealed.

Morrisons installed the new features at its store in Holt Road, Cromer, at the end of last year.

But now the chain has applied for planning permission from North Norfolk District Council to retain them, more than three months after putting them up.

This includes 5m three floodlights and two cameras at 4m high in the customer car park.

The application states that work began on November 3 and ended on December 18 for the works.

3) New sports facilities on farm

White House Farm in Sprowston. (Image: Sonya Duncan)

A bid for new sports facilities at a farm on the city outskirts has been given the green light.

Two new padel courts are to be installed at White House Farm in Sprowston after plans were approved by Broadland District Council.

The scheme was put forward by one of the owners at the farm, Oliver Gurney, in January with the hope of building over an old tennis court.

According to the proposals, the courts will be built using toughened safety glass and dark green or black mesh fencing, which are described as "commonly accepted and visually recessive in a sporting environment".

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4. Supermarket gets green light to start selling alcohol

Itaewon in Castle Quarter (Image: Newsquest)

Adrian Moya, owner of Itaewon Korean Supermarket in Castle Quarter, submitted a licensing application to start selling alcoholic drinks at the store on March 3.

Mr Moya said the "niche nature" of the booze the store would stock would not appeal to those looking to purchase cheap booze in bulk, meaning anti-social behaviour would not be an issue.

The licensing application also stressed that all staff would be trained before selling alcohol and that CCTV covering the alcohol section would be in operation whenever the store is open.

Norwich City Council has approved the bid, and brands such as Jinro Soju, South Korea's number one soju brand, are now being sold inside the store.

5) Village set for more homes despite traffic fears

The site where new homes might be built in Terrington St Clement (Image: Google Maps)

Up to six more homes could be built in Terrington St Clement despite objections.

West Norfolk Council has agreed permission in principle for "four to six" new properties in the village near King's Lynn.

Detailed proposals must now be drawn up for the site, in Wanton Lane, and approved before work can begin.

People living along the lane said the development would bring extra traffic past their homes.

They also complained of low water pressure in the area and being overlooked by the new homes.

A highways officer also objected, saying the road was narrow in places, meaning pedestrians were "forced to compete for space with vehicle traffic".

A planning officer's report said "technical matters" such as safe access to and from the site would be dealt with at the next stage of the process.

It said the development was "acceptable in principle" because the one-acre site, which is currently used as a paddock, was large enough to allow for gaps between properties.

© Eastern Daily Press