A BID to start construction work on a major housing scheme at 7.30am each morning has been turned down by the council.

Plans to build 120 homes near the A4440 in Rushwick were given final planning approval in April 2023.

This followed a lengthy process that included a planning inspector approving outline plans back in 2021.

HOMES: Lioncourt is building a 120-home development it calls The GreenHOMES: Lioncourt is building a 120-home development it calls The Green (Image: Lioncourt Homes)

Approval had included a planning condition that work could only take place between the hours of 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

In September, developer Lioncourt Homes asked to start construction work at 7.30am on weekdays.

It said this would “maximise the opportunity for work in daylight hours for the construction site team” especially in winter.

But neighbours objected to the change, with Richard Meredith saying: “We are already disturbed by the noise of the tracked excavators moving from their overnight parking to their next operating place.

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“To bring this time earlier in the day would be unacceptable on a daily basis.”

Some residents said workers were already coming on to the site at 7.30am.

Rebecca Bryan said: “With their early arrival we are subjected to engine noise, van doors sliding open and shut, loud discussions and greetings between colleagues, and the strident noise of machinery with caterpillar-style treads being repositioned.

“As a family who are living with the impact of a 7.30am start, I object to formalising this arrangement and consider it unreasonable, and would implore the enforcement team to ensure a start time of 8am as per the current conditions.”

Malvern Hills District Council, in turning down the request for an earlier start time, said: “It is understood that work on site has not been in accordance with the 8am start time and with the shortening days the earlier starts would arguably engage greater disturbance and impact for neighbouring occupants’ living conditions.”

Danny Tunstall, construction director at Lioncourt Homes, said: “Our construction team at The Green in Rushwick work between the hours of 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, as agreed in the planning conditions for the site.

“While some of our team may arrive on site outside of these hours, we ensure that construction activity only takes place between these agreed hours in consideration of our neighbours.”