PLANS for a new business park creating 400 jobs have moved a step closer in Worcester - despite concerns about a pedestrian crossing being plonked across a huge road.

Worcester City Council's planning committee has nodded through a detailed planning application for St Modwen's industrial park off Nunnery Way.

The site, right by the M5 and A4440, is the same patch of land originally earmarked for a new football club for Worcester City FC before a deal collapsed in 2013.

The land will include a series of light industrial firms and eventually a car showroom and pub-restaurant, with the developer securing permission for the detailed design of some of the units and landscaping.

But your Worcester News can reveal how access to the park includes a lights-controlled crossing across the A4440 Nunnery Way.

It raised eyebrows during a city council planning committee meeting, with some councillors saying they feared the impact on congestion.

Councillor Alan Feeney said: "I do that road probably twice a day and people go past me at 90 miles an hour.

"If lights are going to go there, it'll cause massive problems."

But during the debate council officers said Worcestershire County Council has collected data revealing vehicles tend to go at 50mph.

The pedestrian crossing will bring the speed limit along one section down to 40mph, with the council insisting the number of people needing to reach the site on foot will be very small.

Councillor Robert Rowden said: "Because of the location of this business park I really don't think the number of pedestrians looking to walk to it will be significant."

Alan Coleman told the committee the crossing had already been approved when the original planning application was accepted last year.

"This site does have a colourful planning history," he said.

"But all we're simply looking at here is the landscaping, design and appearance of the land."

Councillor Pat Agar said: "I'm fairly clear we should have a positive view, in principle, for development on this site."

She called for a better bus service along Nunnery Way but other councillors said they doubted it would be viable.

During a consultation period Warndon Parish Council had objected on traffic grounds, saying a pedestrian crossing would be "essential" before any work could start.

Mr Coleman said the crossing would be a condition the developer must stick to, with the planning committee backing it unanimously.

The park will feature a series of businesses of various sizes, with a total floorspace of 17,900 square metres up for grabs.

A separate detailed planning application will be submitted at a later date for the car showroom and pub-restaurant.