But after 18 months of failing to find any buyers, a £7m scheme of high-end apartments along Hunstanton's coastline looks likely to become the very thing West Norfolk Council (WNC) tried to avoid.

This week, councillors have voted to remove restrictions on the Styleman Court flats, which prevented people from buying them to be used as second homes or holiday lets.

West Norfolk Council's Styleman Court flats have failed to sell (Image: Chris Bishop)

Instead, they will be offered on the open market and members admit, in all likelihood, the homes will be best suited as a holiday let investment.

The challenges faced by WNC come as villages across west Norfolk and north Norfolk's coastline have voted to introduce similar measures to restrict new builds being bought as second homes.

But WNC's challenges to sell the flats have cast doubt over the success of the policy, which may cause problems for the housing market.

Plans for Styleman Court got the go-ahead in 2021 under the previous Conservative-led administration.

It was funded by WNC but was built in partnership with housing firm Lovell.

It also benefited from a £520,000 Homes England grant designed to "accelerate" its delivery.

The first of the 32 properties went on sale on Boxing Day in 2023, promising to be a "high-quality development to meet the needs of people in Hunstanton".

Hunstanton's South Beach (Image: Chris Bishop)

In the council's........

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