A NEW village development has been dubbed "Fortress Kempsey" because of plans to put 6ft high spiked gates at the entrance.

The gates planned for Sunnyside Close, a development of 15 homes on the Old Vicarage site at Old Road South, in the Kempsey conservation area, were unnecessary and unsuitable in a rural setting, parish councillors agreed.

The plan by Westbury Homes (Holdings) Ltd also includes a pedestrian gate and 1.2m fencing around the houses.

"There are already traffic problems in Old Road South and the proposed entrance gates would exacerbate them, especially if the gates are shut and delivery drivers have to park in the road," said David Harrison.

There were also concerns about access for the emergency services, he said.

"I can't imagine the people living there wanting to be forever unlocking these gates," said Kim Rowswell.

Vice chairman Ray Ellis said he did not see how it would help to sell the new homes if prospective buyers thought Kempsey people were so terrible that they had to be locked out.

"This is Fortress Kempsey," he said.

Afterwards, a spokesman for Westbury Homes said the entrance gates would be electrically controlled and would be set back from the road more than the length of a delivery vehicle.

Entrance for visitors would be by intercom.

"It is certainly not meant to be exclusive. It is a perfectly normal way of handling the entrance to a development of that sort of status.

"There are numerous examples in Worcester and Bromsgrove," he said.

"This is in a populated area and we don't consider it inappropriate."

The parish council also considered a plan for three three-bedroom houses with garages on adjoining land at Old Road South.

These were nearer to meeting Kempsey's need for smaller homes, although they did not meet the criteria for being affordable, said Mr Harrison.

A mature tree at the front boundary had been removed contrary to a previous planning permission and should be replaced with another mature tree, he said.