MORE plans have been revealed to build homes on the edge of the city to add to dozens of proposals which will see thousands of homes built in the future.
With land for new homes ever decreasing in Worcester, developers are now turning to the other side of the city boundary to build more homes.
With thousands of homes already planned or approved by the three south Worcestershire councils in and around Worcester – the city could look and be a very different size in 20 years’ time.
The two biggest and most significant plans will see at least 5,000 homes built around Worcester in the future as part of ‘urban extensions’ to the west and south of the city.
Both proposals are backed in principle in the adopted South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) and are still included in the ongoing and much-delayed review of the major planning blueprint.
The first ‘extension’ of the city would see more than 2,300 homes built west of Dines Green and St John’s.
Major developer Bloor Homes will be building up to 1,400 homes with Taylor Wimpey building 483 homes and Redrow building 439 homes.
Once completed, the huge new development could also include a new community centre, primary school, GP surgery and care home as well as shops, pubs and restaurants and sports and leisure facilities.
The second major proposal in the SWDP is another extension of the city to the south towards Broomhall and Norton which could eventually see up to 2,600 homes built.
Earlier this week, a plan to build 82 homes in Broomhall off Bath Road between the city and Kempsey was submitted.
The proposal is just one of several planned for thousands of homes to the south of Worcester including a 255-home plan by St Modwen just south of the Southern Link Road.
Rooftop Housing is still awaiting a decision from Worcester City Council over its neighbouring plan to build 92 homes on the former Ketch car boot site.
The council’s planning committee decided to defer a decision on its affordable housing plan last month sending the housing association back to the drawing board after criticising the “wretched” design of the homes.
Persimmon has permission to build up to 300 homes between Swinesherd Way and the M5 near Spetchley and 250 homes have been or are due to be built in Whittington on the opposite side of the Southern Link Road.
The ongoing review of the South Worcestershire Development Plan – which was first revealed in 2019 but is currently struggling with significant delays due to the Covid pandemic and may not be published or adopted for several years – will outline how many homes will be built across south Worcestershire until 2041.
The headline proposal in the review are ambitions to build a new town with 5,000 homes near Worcestershire Parkway railway station.
Despite the delay in reviewing the SWDP, St Modwen revealed earlier this year it was joining up with Merton College in Oxford for a huge 240-acre scheme between the M5 and Worcestershire’s newest railway station near Worcester that would see up to 1,250 homes built.
Up to 1,000 more homes could also be built in Rushwick if the new SWDP is adopted.
Huge housebuilding schemes and extensions of the city are not also confined to the south and west of Worcester with more homes planned for Claines, Bevere and the surrounding area.
Bellway has already built 128 homes at Gwillam’s Farm with up to 250 homes expected to be built in total on the land in the future.
Also, around the edge of the city, 65 homes are currently being built in Hallow with plans for a further 55 homes due to be decided by the council soon.
The University of Worcester has permission to build 120 homes off Bromyard Road at its former University Park site and another 175 homes are due to be built on neighbouring land by Bloor Homes.
A further 150 homes could also be built by Bloor Homes on the land in the future with a decision expected to be made by council planners soon.
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