PLANS to build nine new flats in a Malvern road have been criticised by residents worried about rock blasting nearby.

Developer Inchbald Day wants planning permission to demolish a number of buildings in Wyche Road and replace with nine flats.

As part of the plans, rock from the nearby hillside will have to be cutback, possibly through blasting.

Because of this, residents are concerned at the impact this could have.

One response to the application was from the nearby Wyche Inn, and raised concerns over the disruption the work would cause.

It said: "Stability has not been proven and rockfall happened with houses abandoned on the Old Wyche Road after completion of new houses.

"Parking is already a nightmare along the stretch of the proposed new build and outside the pub and, as proven during lockdown, the cars are not as a result of the pub but the few current occupiers of the building who have cars and visitors.

"Twelve spaces for nine apartments is certainly not sufficient and this does not take into account visitors to the new properties and the usual two-car households.

"Parking and traffic flow is problematic even on the quietest of days and often there is deadlock.

"There will certainly be more cars parked on the roadside and, as proven in the last planning application, the parking spaces made inside the building will not be big enough for the larger cars people have nowadays.

"Although short term, the disruption to my business will be catastrophic after an already difficult time due to Covid."

Despite the concerns of nearby residents, the developers say the impact will be minimal.

Their outline stability assessment states: "No signs of significant instability were noted during site reconnaissance.

"The proposed development will not result in any overall increase in slope angle across the site and, as overall instability would involve failure through a large mass of rock, overall instability of the site itself is not a significant design consideration."

Regarding the downslope direction, the plans claim the work will actually help stabilise the road and nearby properties by reducing loading on the hillside.

On the subject of possible rock blasting, the document adds: "Excavation of the rock mass without recourse to blasting is likely to be difficult and would require specialist techniques.

"As far as practicable the excavation process should be undertaken in such a manner as to avoid undue disturbance of the rock mass which is to remain."

The currently proposed re-development layout will include three stories of apartments and garaging on the ground floor.

Each of the levels will be cut back into the hillside and the uppermost level set back somewhat from the lower floors.

The plans and responses can be viewed in full at https://plan.malvernhills.gov.uk/Planning/Display/21/00617/FUL