THE University of Worcester has unveiled plans for a huge new housing development in Dines Green.
Proposals to build 250 homes on land off Oldbury Road have been submitted to both Worcester Council and Malvern Hills District Council.
Previous plans for student accommodation and academic buildings including a lecture theatre were approved in 2021 but permission expired earlier this year.
The latest plans refer to a “residential development” and it is unclear at this stage if it would be made up of student homes or not.
The type of planning application that has been submitted is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Report - an early part of the planning process that helps planning authorities decide whether an EIA will be needed.
An application for outline planning permission will follow at a later date.
The report says the ‘Temple Laugherne’ development would include the construction of up to 250 homes, plus the demolition of Ambrose Farm, in the south-east corner of the site.
Laugherne Brook runs along the eastern boundary of the site and an access road provides a boundary to the west.
If approved, the development would border the planned urban extension of Worcester, which will see more than 2,000 homes built between Worcester and Lower Broadheath.
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A spokesperson for the University of Worcester said: “Over the past five years, the university has been developing its Severn Campus into a beacon for health, wellbeing, medicine, and disability sport.
“Recent developments include the refurbishment of the former Worcester News offices to create a new Health, Wellbeing and Medicine Building, the creation of one of Europe’s largest centres for EV charging with more than 100 EV charging points, new cycling routes, and the current development of a new three-storey teaching facility, due to open next year.
“The university is working with the England Cricket Board to develop a unique inclusive centre for all forms of cricket including physically disabled and visually impaired. There is further vacant land at the Severn Campus, in the university’s ownership, which is also developable.
“The university’s priority is now to develop these sites on the Severn Campus.
“The land at Temple Laugherne has previously been identified as being suitable for housing in the South Worcestershire Development Plan and has been subject to previous planning applications for residential development.
“The university is now working with professional advisors to bring forward a proposal for a residential development on this site.”
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