MALVERN Hills District Council has formed a special committee to deal with a controversial planning application made by one of its own members.

Coun David Watkins has applied to convert buildings at 213 and 215 Worcester Road into three flats and two townhouses, and construct a further six houses in the grounds.

His plans have met with objections from local residents, who joined together to present a 56-signature petition to the council. Their main concerns are over-development and an increase in traffic on already busy roads.

Under normal circumstances, the application would have been decided by the southern area planning sub-committee.

However, as Coun Watkins was the election agent for 16 of his fellow Conservatives during the recent elections, all would have to refrain from taking part, leaving not enough councillors to make a legally-binding decision.

Under advice from the council's standards committee, the five remaining members of the southern committee will join with their five similarly unaffected northern counterparts to form a one-off special control committee.