Decision to be made on 90 homes

A decision on whether to allow more than 90 homes to be built on the edge of Worcester will be made next week.

Proposals by Rooftop Housing would see 92 affordable homes built on the former Ketch car boot site next to the A4440 Southern Link Road on the edge of Worcester.

Worcester City Council’s planning committee meets next Thursday (July 29) to make a decision with a recommendation from officers that the application is approved.

The plans have proved controversial since they were first revealed in October last year.

A long list of objections were registered with Worcester City Council during public consultation with St Peter’s locals and parish councillors in Kempsey saying surrounding roads were inadequate to cope with the planned number of homes and local schools would not be able to manage.

A petition with 55 signatures against the plan has also been submitted.

St Peter’s Parish Council said the design of the homes were “poor” and was concerned about the noise and pollution for future residents.

“The nature of this area is semi-rural and as such is not an appropriate site for three-storey high-rise buildings, this will have a detrimental impact on the local amenity, street scene, landscape, and characteristics of this area and loss of privacy for current residents, in the bordering area of St Peter’s,” the objection said.

“The house type designs are of poor architectural merit and the street in the site centre is congested.”

Kempsey Parish Council objected to the plans saying Taylors Lane was “inadequate” to cater for the number of homes being built, and due to be built, in the area.

The developer has also included plans for allotments and community orchards and gardens.

A report, which will be discussed by the city council’s planning committee, said that despite the significant objection to the plans from locals, the development would bring much-needed affordable housing to the city and should be approved.

Rooftop’s plan would be just one part of a 255-home plan between the A4440 on the edge of the city and Taylor’s Lane and several other huge developments which form part of urban extensions to the west and south of Worcester.