A HIGHLY sought-after piece of land on Droitwich's Berry Hill Industrial Estate is the subject of two planning applications.

Two companies have submitted proposals for the site in George Baylis Road.

But if recommendations by Wychavon District Council's planning officers are a yardstick, then the jostle for the land is set to continue. They have urged councillors to refuse both submissions.

The first application has been put forward by Morbaine Limited, a development company which is well-known for its work with nationally-known com-panies such as B&Q, Tesco, Safeway and Dixons.

It has applied for outline planning permission for either four non-food retail units, or a single DIY store with an attached garden centre and between 225-250 parking spaces.

Planning officers pointed out that while they agreed there was a need for more retail space in Droitwich, the applicant had not given details of the retailers proposed or the goods that would be sold.

There were also doubts about the proposed look of the site. Officers said a building of the nature proposed, at 60,000sq ft, would have "a potentially detrimental effect on the appearance of the area".

A spokesman for Wych-avon said it also believed "the location of such premises away from the town centre has implications for traffic".

The second application has been made by automotive parts manufacturer, Barton Cold Form, which already has a factory in Kidderminster Road on the estate. The firm has applied for permission for three large retail units on the site, together with 100 car parking spaces and 14 cycle stands as part of its expansion plans.

Once again, council officers have expressed concerns about potential traffic problems and the impact of the buildings on surrounding areas.

They have recommended refusal for the application on the grounds of "insufficient information".

Both applications will be discussed by Wychavon District Council's development control committee on Thursday, at 2pm at the Civic Centre in Queen Elizabeth Road in Pershore.