Plans to build up to four homes next to a farm shop in a village near Pershore have been rejected.

A proposal had been put forward to build housing on land behind Broadgrove Farm Shop in Eckington Road, Birlingham.

But Wychavon District Council said the development would not be “environmentally sustainable” and has refused to grant planning permission.

Planning officers said the “adverse impacts of the proposal in terms of location and amount of development are considered to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits”

“The proposed scheme is considered to be unacceptable.

“There is no regular bus service in the vicinity of the site and future occupiers would be heavily reliant on the use of a private car to access their everyday educational, medical and recreational activities, along with commuting to and from their place of work.”

Birlingham Parish Council said it supported in principle the use of the site for two or three homes - preferably bungalows - but had concerns that four may be too many as the site is close to a bend in the road.