PLANS to build 52 homes on farmland in Leigh Sinton have been given the thumbs up.

Lioncourt Homes was given outline permission for the scheme last year despite a mixed reaction from villagers.

Malvern Hills District Council has now approved more detailed plans.

The site in question is described as 3.3 hectares of “relatively flat agricultural land” north and west of the A4103 by the council.

According to planning documents, 15 homes will be available for social rent. These will be a mix of four one-bedroom maisonettes, 10 houses and a bungalow.

Six houses have also been earmarked as ‘first homes’.

Worcestershire Highways raised no objections to the application and said it would not adopt the internal road system on the development.

Planners said the developer is required to fund the creation of a playground as part of the planning process. This is via a Section 106 agreement.

As outline permission had already been granted, the question of whether housing should be built on the site had been established and was not up for debate at this point.

Planning officers said: “The submitted plans show mostly two storey dwellings with some single storey dwellings.

“The quantum of development brought forward accords with that indicated in the outline planning permission.

“The proposed layout generally works with what was anticipated would come forward in considering the reserved matters.

“The proposed development sits across the highway from several listed buildings. The proposed layout better responds to the presence of nearby listed buildings with individual dwellings facing onto the highway with some movement back from the roadside.

“The proposal is considered acceptable and to cause no significant adverse impact on the character of the area, highway safety, or residential amenity.”

Leigh and Bransford Parish Council had said it was impressed with the plans.

The district council’s landscape officer questioned what type of benches would be placed around the development and whether a hedgerow that runs along the south-western portion of the site would be retained.