Approval has been given to another phase of a huge scheme to build thousands of homes on the edge of the city.

Malvern Hills District Council has given Bloor Homes permission to build 72 homes on land off Martley Road.

This is in addition to the development of 311 homes approved by the district council last month.

Both developments will eventually form part of the urban extension of Worcester - a project that will see more than 2,000 homes built to the west and south of the city.

Bloor Homes is expected to deliver up to 1,400 of those homes across a number of ‘phases’, needing multiple planning applications.

Granting planning permission for this latest application, council officers in their report say the site was formerly agricultural land but is now approved for residential use because outline approval was given at an earlier stage of the planning process.

Documents show the site will be accessed via a new junction on Martley Road that has already been approved as part of a previous application.

Planning documents also suggest 10 of the 72 properties will be made available for social rent and four will be shared ownership opportunities, in line with the developer’s Section 106 responsibilities.

In total, there will be a mix of 14 four-bedroom homes, 37 three-beds, 20 two-beds and a single one-bedroom property on the development.

Lower Broadheath Parish Council had objected to the development, raising concerns over whether the sewage system in the area would be able to cope with the influx of new homes.

Worcestershire Highways also wanted Bloor Homes to demonstrate that the minimum number of required car parking spaces were being provided.

According to Worcestershire’s Streetscape Design Guide this is one space for a one bedroom home, two spaces for a 2-3 bedroom home, three spaces for 4-5 bedroom homes, and four parking spaces for a home with six or more bedrooms.

The urban extension scheme is expected to eventually include a new community centre, primary school, GP surgery and care home, shops, pubs, restaurants, and sports and leisure facilities.