PLANS to replace a bungalow in a Worcestershire village with a one-and-a-half storey house may be turned down despite support from neighbours.

The proposals for Green Hedges, Claphill Lane, Rushwick, are outside the settlement boundary and considered to be in open countryside.

The floorspace of the replacement building would be 56 per cent bigger than the bungalow and the guidelines for increasing the size of properties in open countryside is 15 per cent, say planners.

Officers at Malvern Hills District Council are recommending that the application is refused because the new building represents a significant increase in size compared to the existing property and it would appear visually prominent in the open countryside and would lead to a loss in the range of smaller sized accommodation.

However four neighbours have written in support of the application saying the proposal would be more in keeping with the area and would not be intrusive.

The application will be discussed at the district council's northern area development control committee on Wednesday, March 5.