CONTROVERSIAL plans have been handed in for a permanent 10 pitch travellers site near the Ketch roundabout in Worcester.

The proposed scheme, submitted to planners in Worcester City Council in December, involves a change of land use to allow pitches for caravans south of Broomhall Way, Worcester.

However, critics of the scheme, including the chairman of the parish council, argue that a site there would be 'dangerous' because of access directly onto a dual carriageway - the A4440 Broomhall Way (Southern Link Road).

As reported in February of last year, signs have previously appeared at the site saying 'proposed travellers site' but Worcester City Council at the time dismissed the claim, having ruled the development would be unsafe.

The scheme was rejected on the last occasion because access to and from the A4440 was considered unsafe after a a detailed appraisal.

Speaking about the new application, Worcester City councillor Steve McKay said he did not have a problem with an application for a travellers site but added: "I think it's right to say it would not be a suitable place for the site, purely because of the traffic situation as much as anything else."

He also said there had been a number of accidents there over the years and that was before they opened the road into three lanes.

Alan Tucker, chairman of St Peter's Parish Council, said the the council had objected to the plans 'in the strongest possible terms'.

He said the primary issue was one of safety because of entrance and exit onto a busy dual carriageway with a 60mph speed limit. "It's ludicrous" he said.

"No other site on the road has been allowed an entry or exist onto the Southern Link Road. We consider that is extremely dangerous," he said.

The parish council has not yet been made aware of a date when the application will be decided by the planning committee. Mr Tucker expects members of the parish council and county council to be represented at that meeting and some residents, who also object, to attend.

Mr Tucker has also raised concerns about noise and pollution at the 'narrow site', arguing that it was unsuitable for residential use. Further to this, he said the parish council believed there was not safe and adequate amenities to serve the site and that it would impose on the Green Belt to the south west. He understands that the land is also contaminated but said this needed to be confirmed.

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

Neighbours have also complained about the proposal. John Renshaw wrote: "I was astonished to see that another planning proposal to provide 10 permanent travellers pitches on land adjacent to the A4440 Broomhall Way has been received by Worcester City Council. As reported widely in local media in February 2021, Malvern Hills District Council, Wychavon District Council and Worcester City Council need to jointly provide an additional 59 traveller pitches and 8 travelling showpeople plots by 2030 to meet anticipated demand.

"The share of pitches between the three council areas is 19 traveller pitches and eight travelling showpeople plots for Malvern Hills, 37 traveller pitches for Wychavon and jus two traveller pitches for Worcester City which reflects the compact built up nature of that council area.

This application for 10 pitches within the boundaries of Worcester City is therefore five times the projected need."

Documents available online show that the application would also include an 'ancillary dayroom' for each pitch plus associated access, parking, landscaping, engineering and infrastructure

works.

An application was submitted by the field's owner, Roger Letham. His previous plans for a site there have previously been rejected by the planning committee.

The site is within the St Peter's parish ward and covers an area of approximately 2.68ha.

A planning statement, submitted with the application, says: "At the time of submitting this application, the site is used for events including a regular car boot sale with approximately 200 pitches. It has also been regularly used for fairs, circuses and events and there are regularly unauthorised incursions by travellers.

"The proposed development will result in the change of use of the land to that of a permanent traveller’s site containing 10 pitches. Each pitch will be enclosed by a timber fence and include a space for a static caravan, parking area, amenity grassland and an ancillary day room." The entrance to the site would be for Broomhall Way which has a 60mph speed limit. There will also be a 'communal space' for recreation on the site.

The planning statement says: "To summarise, it can be concluded that the proposed development will not have any material impact upon the safety or operation of the surrounding local highway network. Consequently, it is considered that there are no significant highways and transportation matters that would preclude Worcestershire County Highways from supporting the approval of this planning application."