Housing site 'one of most suitable' (From Malvern Gazette)

Housing site 'one of most suitable'

8:00am Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News

RESIDENTS have been assured their concerns over a development of 45 new homes in Malvern Wells will be listened to and addressed.

However they have also been told that development “will happen” in Malvern and the site on their doorsteps is one of the most suitable.

More than 30 people packed into a parish meeting to show their opposition to a proposal to build a mixture of affordable and open market homes on land between Rothwell Road and Hanley Road, owned by Abbey College.

Malvern Wells Parish Council is objecting to the plans. It says the number of homes is more than the 35 earmarked in the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) housing blueprint and that the run-down land – formerly playing fields – should be restored to recreational use.

Councillors also have concerns about the impact on the area of outstanding natural beauty and traffic.

But Andrew Boughton, of planning agents Boughton Butler, said he would be holding talks with the Abbey College and developer Landseer Homes in a bid to address some of the concerns.

“We have heard concerns expressed by residents and the council and we will try and address them as best we can,” he said. “That is why we go to these meetings, to listen to what people have to say.

“We are not trying to bulldoze people into something they don’t want. But when it boils down to it, it is a suitable site for housing. It is a brownfield site.”