CONTROVERSIAL plans to build on Green Belt land in Worcester which would have created 350 jobs have been rejected.

Under the scheme 19,000 sq ft of green belt at Blackpole Road, Worcester, would have been turned into industrial and warehouse units but the plan was rejected by planners at Worcester Guildhall on Thursday.

Even though the scheme was rejected the chairman of the planning committee, Cllr Alan Amos, argued that the city could be too precious about Green Belt and that there was the risk of Worcester becoming a 'dormitory city'.

He said: "Worcester needs employment land. We're getting people to come and live here but would it not be nice if there were jobs for them to come to? We are too precious sometimes about Green Belt.

"I don't think this would have the dire consequences people foresee. It's hardly land where people would go and have a picnic even though it's designated Green Belt."

A firm called Maximus, based near Hallow, said the multi-million pound development would provide a major economic boost.

However, the land was earmarked as green space in the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP), the county's housing and jobs blueprint and is also within a flood zone (medium and high risk).

Members of the committee followed the advice of their senior planning officer and opted to protect this section of the West Midlands Green Belt, meadow land in the valley of the Barbourne Brook which borders the Worcester-Birmingham Canal Conservation Area.

Alan Coleman, the development services manager, said the scheme represented 'inappropriate development in the Green Belt' and would inevitably reduce its openness, describing the harm that would arise as 'considerable'.

Cllr Pat Agar said: "I think this is another case of a development in the wrong place. There don't seem to be any exceptional or special circumstances to go against our policy to protect the Green Belt.

"The city's green space has been greatly eroded in recent years. They deserve more protection."

Cllr Derek Prodger also argued that the development should be refused.

The SWDP, which earmarks land for 28,370 homes and 309 hectares of employment land, is being voted on by all three councils next week.