AN outline application for a mixed development of houses, an elderly people's nursing home and public open spaces has been approved by Bidford parish councillors.

The development, by George Wimpey and Cranbrook Homes Ltd, is earmarked for land at Friday Furlong.

The applicant has also submitted a separate outline application for office use, residential homes, an elderly people's nursing home, public open spaces and road work

Members of the council refused the application which required office use at their latest planning meeting.

Elizabeth Uggerloese, parish council clerk, said: "The problem is there are empty spaces in other industrial developments in the village and what happens is that if you have empty office space it does tend to look derelict, it gets vandalised and does not do anything for the image of the village. It makes more sense to fill up those that are empty."

Bidford's county councillor, Peter Barnes, said it was hoped that a nursing home would form part of the application so that elderly people who had been in hospital would be able to recover at the home for a period of time, rather than in hospital.

This would save relatives driving to hospitals far away as Coventry and Redditch.

The application may come before the planning committee in December.