Decision set to be made on controversial plans to build traveller site

A decision is set to be made on controversial plans to build a traveller site on the edge of the city.

Proposals which could see ten permanent traveller pitches built next to the A4440 on the edge of Worcester are set to go before planners next Thursday.

Worcester City Council’s planning officers have recommended the application is refused.

A report, which will be discussed by the council’s planning committee at a meeting in the Guildhall on March 24, said allowing a traveller site to be built would “erode and harm” the open landscape and green space.

Officers also said they were concerned by the plan to use the A4440 to access the site.

A total of 160 objections were made against the plan as well as a number of “discriminatory and abusive” comments towards the traveller community – which the council said it has ignored – and an objection from a person pretending to be from Natural England.

A sign was put up on the field next to the busy Broomhall Way at the start of 2021 by landowner Roger Lethem, who is responsible for the planning application, claiming the site was being put forward as part of call for new traveller sites in the city.

Worcester City Council dismissed the claims it would be considered having ruled it would be unsafe.

A planning application was then submitted in December for the permanent pitches.

Up to 92 homes will be built on the site of the former Ketch car boot sale after plans were backed by Worcester City Council last year and more than 240 homes are being built by St Modwen on neighbouring land.

Housing developer St Modwen, which is building some of the thousands of homes planned for the south of Worcester, also raised concerns about the plan saying ten traveller pitches would destroy part of the green buffer between the busy A4440 and create more noise.

Malvern Hills, Worcester and Wychavon councils need to provide 67 traveller pitches by 2030 to meet demand.

Wychavon needs to provide 37 pitches but has already approved 21 since 2019.

The planning committee meets from 1.30pm in the Guildhall on March 24.