AN EYESORE former city pub and restaurant could be demolished to make way for a care home under new plans.

Leaflets handed to residents show plans to convert the former Harvester restaurant in Worcester’s Droitwich Road into a new care home.

No formal planning application has so far been submitted to Worcester City Council.

A controversial plan to build a McDonald’s drive thru on the site was eventually withdrawn in November 2019 after facing a wave of opposition from residents.

Hundreds of people spoke out against the plan saying a new McDonald’s should not be built near a school and would attract more litter and anti-social behaviour.

Claines city and county councillor Mel Allcott said: “Claines is home to existing care homes plus a recent new build, The Belmont, on the former park and ride site.

“Furthermore, a private company has been in contact, looking to build a further new care home almost opposite, on the former Harvester site.

“This is a much more suitable site, with access to facilities such as the new Lidl, opening spring of this year and furthermore, will not flood.”

Several plans for new care homes have been put forward in the area in recent years.

A once-rejected plan to build a new care home on the edge of the city has recently attracted more than 170 objections with a decision still to be made by council planners.

The 70-bed care home could be built on land known as the ‘Donkey Field’ off Northwick Road in Worcester – just over a mile away from the former Harvester pub and restaurant – if plans are backed by Wychavon District Council.

Council planners rejected proposals to build an 80-bed care home on the same land last year.

The plan proved controversial when it was submitted at the end of 2020 and a petition with more than 1,100 signatures and more than 160 objections were lodged with the district council before a decision was made.

A plan for a 74-bed care home on the remaining part of the former park and ride site in John Comyn Drive off Droitwich Road, less than a mile away from Old Northwick Farm, was approved by Worcester City Council in 2020.