CONTROVERSIAL plans to build 80 homes near a Worcestershire village have been turned down by district councillors.

Binocular Homes Ltd had wanted to build dozens of homes on land off Old Malvern Road between Powick and Collett’s Green.

Planning officers had recommended the scheme for approval, but members of Malvern Hills District Council’s northern area planning committee disagreed.

At a meeting last week, they refused to grant planning approval on the grounds that it would amount to “overdevelopment” of the site.

Councillors felt the development would result in the “loss of important undeveloped open countryside between Collett’s Green and Powick leading to the coalescence of these settlements, compromising their open, rural agricultural setting”.

“This harm would not be adequately mitigated by the proposed green infrastructure within the application site,” the council said in its official reasons for rejecting the proposal.

READ MORE: Decision due on unpopular plans for 80 homes in village

READ MORE: Villagers say 80-home plan 'cannot be allowed to happen'

Officers had said the influx of homes would result in “economic and social benefits” including short-term employment while the “much-needed” houses were built.

But the plans had attracted dozens of objections from residents, who pointed to a lack of shops and other amenities in the area and raised concerns over the ability of the local primary school to cope with an increase in demand.

One objector, Tabitha Barker, said: “The village is totally lacking in any infrastructure to support any more homes. We have no shop, no doctors and the traffic is horrendous.

“This cannot be allowed to happen.”

Paul Burton said: “The road that is the proposed entrance to this already isn't suitable for the amount of traffic that goes up and down it.

“Adding another potential 160-200 cars would be dangerous. There is no footpath for most of the road which is already a risk for people walking, and a lot of the walkers are children during the school run.

“The amount of cars added and also deliveries that would happen would make that road an accident waiting to happen.”

Powick Parish Council said the site falls outside the Collet’s Green development boundary and isn’t included in the South Worcestershire Development Plan, a planning blueprint for the area.