RESIDENTS have been handed a “fighting chance” in a planning dispute labelled as “David versus Goliath”.

Controversial proposals by Selbourne Homes to build 61 homes on a former landfill site off Hospital Lane in Powick will be decided at a planning appeal meeting on Wednesday (April 8).

But now village campaigners opposed to the scheme will be able to call on an expert during the crucial meeting, after Powick Parish Council agreed to fund half of the specialist’s costs.

A passionate plea by county councillor Tom Wells, who spoke at the parish council meeting on Wednesday (April 1), convinced the local authority to stump up the £570 needed to match the money already raised by residents.

Mr Wells said: “I am delighted that the parish council supported the idea.

“We can now go to the inquiry in a position to argue our case as forcibly as possible.

“Without the expert witness we would really struggle and I am very grateful to the parish councillors.

“I think they made the right decision and at times of need like this residents look to their parish council for support.”

The county councillor added the expert will be able to provide authoritative information on contamination at the site and ensure Malvern Hills District Council, which rejected the bid, can defend its position.

A survey of the land carried out by Wilson Associates has revealed the presence of asbestos on the site, with eight of the samples taken positively detecting asbestos fibres.

But the fate of the planning application rests in the hands of a government planning inspector, who will make the final call on Wednesday (April 8) after the developer appealed the district council’s decision.

Residents however are “quietly confident” about the outcome, according to Mr Huntington.

He said: “It is tremendous that the parish councillors have put their hands in their pockets for what they must think is a very worthy cause.

“We are absolutely delighted. Everyone will be very pleased as a large number of people in the village have contributed the costs of fighting this development.

“I do think that the expert’s appearance will make a difference and it could be the difference between being successful or not.

“It is certainly going to be very, very helpful.”

He added that residents expected the developer to appeal the decision but that his campaigning group are “quietly confident” the inspector will come to the “correct decision”.

In his plea for the money required to pay the expert’s fees to attend the meeting, Mr Wells labelled the planning dispute as “David versus Goliath stuff - big building companies versus the local man”.

He explained that the presence of the expert would give residents a "fighting chance" and expressed fears asbestos and contamination would create serious health risks.

The Worcester News attempted to contact Selbourne Homes but the company was unavailable for comment.