CONCERNS have been raised about a plan to demolish a dilapidated manor house destroyed by fire more than 17 years ago to make way for new homes.

Lockley Homes has put forward proposals that will see the Victorian-era Wheatfield Court in Callow End near Worcester demolished and replaced with a mix of three-and-four-bed homes and bungalows.

Wheatfield Park, a retirement village of park homes and static caravans, sits to the north of the land and some concerns have been raised about the new entrance to the homes off the busy Upton Road.

Dozens of objections have been raised by residents in the park.

A resident Lorraine Hine said: “The main reason I object to this plan is the entrance onto the main road.

“This a dangerous stretch of road due the blind bend going towards Callow End village.

“It is hard to turn onto this road now and this will add extra traffic to an already bad spot.”

The building off the village’s Upton Road was destroyed by a huge fire in 2004 – having been converted into flats – leaving its then residents homeless and the building gutted.

The building has remained empty ever since but has been known to be used by “unofficial residents” on several occasions.

Another resident of the park John Stimpson said: “The proposal as it stands will cause additional traffic close to a very dangerous bend, and visual sight of traffic will not be adequate for vehicles exiting both the development and adjacent mobile home park.

“The two storey houses will be overlooking neighbouring properties.”

The owner of Wheatfield Park has also raised an objection saying chopping down several trees on the side of Upton Road would cause problems for residents.

“The application proposes the removal of the big roadside retaining wall and most roadside trees and dense evergreen understorey, which currently provide a characterful roadside feature and dense site screening,” the objection said.

“The removal of the existing screening combined with the two-storey nature of the proposed dwellings that would be visible form Upton Road will materially change the existing landscape and therefore the character of the site and the local area will be adversely affected.”