Hundreds against 800-home greenbelt development

More than 600 residents have joined a campaign opposing plans for an 800-home development on greenbelt land.

The proposal, which includes a school and shops at Church Farm in Claines, Worcestershire, was unveiled earlier this year by developer Summix.

Speaking at a Worcester City Council meeting on Tuesday, campaigner Craig Routledge said opposition to the plans had continued to grow following a public meeting held in June.

Worcester City Council leader Lynn Denham said government targets remained in place but that planning decisions would continue to be assessed on their individual merits.

Routledge said more than 600 residents had joined a group set up to share information about the proposals and how to object to them.

"The issue we are opposed to isn't development in general, it is development in the greenbelt," Routledge told councillors.

He said the 48-hectare site was Grade II agricultural land and had not been allocated for development in the recently adopted South Worcestershire Development Plan Review because of its greenbelt status.

He urged councillors to "reject overtures from this developer".

Claines councillor Jessie Jagger described greenbelt land in the area as "an asset of strategic importance" and said she would continue to keep residents informed throughout the planning process.

The scheme remains at the pre-application stage.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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