Village expected to grow in size as part of plans to build 1,000 new homes

A village is expected to grow in size as part of plans to build 1,000 new homes.

The redrawn South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) includes plans to build more homes, a new railway station and a new school in Rushwick near Worcester by 2041.

The major work in the village would also include new shops, new sports facilities and playing pitches near to the village’s cricket club – which could also expand in the future – and a new or improved village hall.

New walking and cycling links to Worcester would be created as well as a new park near Christine Avenue, allotments, a community orchard, and ten new traveller pitches.

The document states that work will not begin on expanding the village until a land deal has been struck for the proposed new railway station and 500-space car park and at least 12 acres of land would be set aside for employment.

The expansion of Rushwick is one of a handful of ‘key’ projects included in the much-delayed review of the SWDP which sets out how 11,000 new homes will be built across the south of the county in the next 20 years including plans for a huge new 5,000-home town at Worcestershire Parkway station near Worcester and a massive new 2,000-home town at Throckmorton Airfield near Pershore.

This is on top of the 28,400 already planned for up to 2030 in the current SWDP, the majority of which have already been built.

Lioncourt Homes had its plan to build up to 120 homes in Rushwick backed by the government’s planning inspector following an inquiry last year – despite hundreds of objections from villagers.

A plan to build more homes in the village was put back on the table earlier this year but only after shrinking significantly following a series of rejections.

The returning plan by Custom Land for land off Bransford Road contained just eight new homes after a 42-home plan was rejected by the council twice and thrown out on appeal by a government planning inspector.

The new plan would see eight homes built on the eastern part of the fields off Coronation Avenue.