A new walking and cycling link between the city centre and Shrub Hill will be built after plans were backed by councillors.

The plans by Worcester City Council would see a new five-metre-wide link created between Pheasant Street, opposite the Asda car park in Worcester, Padmore Street and the existing Cromwell Street bridge over the canal.

The move was approved by the city council’s planning committee at a meeting in the Guildhall on Thursday (September 21).

The scheme also includes improvements to the bridge and parts of Cromwell Street on the eastern side of the canal, to create an attractive new way of getting between the city centre and Shrub Hill without having to use a car or bus.

The council expects the work to start in March 2025.

City mayor Cllr Louis Stephen said the application was "very much welcomed" and Cllr Alan Amos said he "fully supported the work."

Cllr Amos also suggested the council look at bringing a bus route from the station to the city centre to help those with luggage who struggled to walk or cycle.

The planning application forms an important part of the wider regeneration of the area around the canal and Shrub Hill station.

In June, Worcestershire County Council revealed its new ‘vision’ for Shrub Hill which shows how it imagines the area will grow in the next 20 years which includes 500 new homes and predictions of up to 5,000 new jobs.

The overhaul of Shrub Hill Industrial Estate and the surrounding area includes hundreds of new homes, and business and office space and will eventually be home to a new ‘neighbourhood’ filled with restaurants, bars and shops.

The council has been holding talks with several parties over buying land around Pheasant Street and Padmore Street to make sure the new route can be built – including First Bus over acquiring part of its depot.

The plan was discussed in public as the application was being made by the city council and the city council’s planning officers had recommended it was approved.

Diageo, the owners of Shrub Hill Retail Park, Farmfoods and First Bus all registered ‘holding’ objections over a ‘lack of information’ in the application.