A MASSIVE new business park employing up to 3,000 people is being planned on the outskirts of Worcester.

The proposal, which may also include a hotel, has sparked concerns it will ruin the rural landscape and turn neighbouring villages into rat-runs.

The potentially huge 67-hectare (165.5-acre) site would be built on a triangular-shaped piece of greenfield land east of the M5, south of junction six, and just off the B4636 and Pershore Lane.

Wychavon district councillor for the area Margaret Rowley, who lives in Tibberton, said the project, which is being promoted by Advantage West Midlands on behalf of an unamed company, had come as a “bombshell”.

“While it is encouraging, particularly in the current economic climate, that a local company is able to offer more employment, a development of this size will have a considerable impact on the current rural character of the area,” she said.

“A proposal for extending the green belt around Worcester may well come forward following comments by the Government’s planning consultants and there is a case to be made for including this land in green belt. We are likely to be forced to make a decision before all the issues have been fully considered.”

Although the site has been earmarked for a 25-hectare (61.7-acre) high technology business park as part of the South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy, these plans are still under consultation.

Crowle Parish Council vice-chairman Neil Gow said: “Part of the concern we have as a parish council is that in our view it’s jumping the gun.

“It’s in serious danger of being just another ad-hoc development which is a mighty dangerous thing to do on any development let alone one of 67 hectares which will have a significant impact on the area.”

He said he was also annoyed because he had been told two years ago that there would be no development on land east of the M5.

Tibberton Parish Council chairman Chris Hartwright said traffic at junction six was already overloaded.

“To stick another 3,000 vehicles on that road system is going to be unacceptable because people are going to start using the villages as a rat-run, Tibberton in particular,” he said.

Nobody from Advantage West Midlands was available for comment but your Worcester News has seen a letter sent to councillors from head of planning Mark Williets, who said the development was a “key link” in making Worcester an integral part of the Central Technology Belt.

“The site would provide space for high technology businesses and expansion sites for existing local employers,” he said.

Mr Williets’ letter said an official planning application would not be submitted to Wychavon District Council until the end of this year or the beginning of next year.