A FATHER-OF-TWO has labelled the planning process as “negative” after his bid to convert a former pump house in Callow End into a one-bedroom home was rejected.

Paul Ford, 50, of Columbia Drive, Lower Wick, applied for planning permission for the site in Lower Ferry Lane in May 2014 – but his proposal was rejected by Malvern Hills District Council in October last year and then turned down again by a planning inspector at appeal this August.

He has been left angry by the decision and claims planners are putting hurdles in his way to get him to “go away”.

But council officers have defended the outcome, explaining that the normal planning procedure has been followed with an inspector agreeing with the original decision.

Mr Ford, who bought the land about seven years ago, said: “They keep throwing hurdles in my way even though nobody around Callow End has a problem with it.

“The application was rejected because of a supposed flood risk on the access road. But I have never, ever been stopped from going down the track due to flooding.

“My boys Max, 14, and Jack, 17, even walked all the way from Callow End to Christopher Whitehead Language College during the flooding in February 2014, which shows we were able to continue with normal life.

“I just think it is a very negative approach. They want us to disappear and go away.

“The building could provide a home for somebody and there is a waiting list for places in Callow End – but now it’s just set to stay derelict.

“Long-term I envisage myself and my wife out there and the boys living in our house carrying on with their education - or alternatively I could let out the property in Callow End.”

Mr Ford lived on the site in a caravan for about eight months with his wife, two sons and two cats, while he carried out work on the former pump house which is located in a rectangular parcel of land to the east of Callow End.

The family moved to the site after Mr Ford was unable to find work, but he claims they were forced to leave when council enforcement officers visited and informed him planning permission was required for the conversion.

Duncan Rudge, development control manager at Malvern Hills District Council, said: “Mr Ford had the right to appeal to the planning inspectorate against the refusal, which he did.

“The inspector supported our view that the site was at risk of flooding and the flood risk had not been adequately assessed.

“The inspector was also not convinced residential development at this site was justified by the evidence and was unlikely to be sustainable due to the remote nature of the location.”