TWENTY-one new affordable homes could transform a piece of wasteland on a Worcester housing estate.

A scheme to build the homes in the heart of Lower Wick has been recommended for approval by Worcester City Council planning officers.

The plans, put forward by Stokes Styler Homes, earmark an existing car park and empty land nest to the Maple Leaf pub, Canada Way, as the ideal site for 13 houses and eight apartments.

A new car park off Canada Way, resurfacing of the land in front of the Lower Wick shops and a new access road, are all included in the plans.

People living in the area have been calling for something to be done with the site for some time.

But there are concerns that the homes, all of which are to be so-called affordable housing - designed to help people get on to the property ladder - will be too crowded.

Councillor David Clark, who represents the area on the city council, said to "squeeze in" 21 homes was "extremely unsatisfactory".

He said: "The parking for the new homes is just one space for each home. That's not realistic in today's terms and it may be that half of the new parking facility ends up being taken up by residents."

His was also concerned that all the homes will be affordable, either through shared ownership or rental schemes.

"I'm all for affordable housing," he said. "We desperately need it but council policy has always been to pepperpot it.

"To put 21 homes in to one very small area is far from pepperpotting it."

The proposals are for the houses to be two-storey, with rooms in the roof, and for the the eight apartments to be in one block. They will all be built in traditional brick and tile keep in with the area.

In his report, planning officer Alan Coleman said the homes would be in a cul-de-sac layout, which met the council's spacing standards and would not cause problems for people already living in the area. A decision on the application is due to be made at a council meeting tomorrow.