PLANS to build nine new apartments in Malvern have been condemned this week.

Developers were given permission to begin work on demolishing two buildings in Wyche Road.

Despite the plans being approved, residents nearby have attacked the decision to approve the plans, saying proposed rock removal from the nearby hillside and disruption to traffic will cause chaos.

Martin Thomas, who lives in Wyche Road, said residents were "shocked" the plans had been approved.

He said: "The approval granted last week did come as something of a shock to not only the local community but also to the slightly wider district, from which 85 written objections had been lodged.

"The planning system seems to be broken.

"Where in a conservation area situated in an AONB plans can be passed with so many objections and unanswered questions?

"Just by way of example, we are still in the dark as to how such a huge amount of Malvern stone is to be safely excavated, who will pay if that results in hillside instability or why inadequate off street parking is being permitted?

"As a design and as dwelling density goes, it may be considered good by town planners but it fails to fit with its surroundings here.

"If this is how it works I feel that people will become disengaged with local democracy as their views at the end of the day didn’t seem to count, and disengagement cannot be a good thing can it?"

District councillors approved the plans on January 19, though Cllrs Paul Bennett, Kaleem Aksar, Neville Mills and John Raine all voted against them.

Cllr Bennett said: "The decision to approve massive overdevelopment at the Wyche was appalling.

"Permission was granted to build beyond the size and scale of the existing buildings, massively quarry the rock face and create sea-side style balconies at high level on the Hills.

"This is completely inexcusable.

The National Policy Planning Framework clearly tells councils NOT to give permission for development in such highly sensitive protected areas if there is anywhere else in the authority where such development can occur.

"To have increased the flats from 7 to 9 and in number and also in size is against this in spirit and fact.

"This was perhaps one of the most important redevelopment decisions Malvern Hills Council will make in my time as a councillor and what has happened is wrong as the public vocally told councillors in large numbers."