WORRIED residents have lobbied Kempsey Parish Council to stop a narrow country lane become a highway for heavy traffic.

They are concerned a planning application for farm buildings to be changed into light industrial buildings at the end of Bestmans Lane could create more noise and disturbance.

Permission has already been gratned to use the buildings for warehousing and storage, but now it is proposed to make passing bays in the lane outside, with parking for 22 cars and four lorries on the site.

Last month Kempsey Parish Council decided to support the new application, taking the view that it would probably bring fewer heavy vehicles to the site.

But residents wanted further discussion, saying they were not sure which use of the site would be more disruptive, as the exact nature of the proposed business is not specified and could involve noisy machinery.

They also wanted it made clear that the original use would be revoked if the new use was allowed.

Many of the 18 objectors spoke during Open Forum after a meeting last week, and members gave them a sympathetic hearing.

They said any further increase in traffic would endanger pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders and that passing bays would not help.

Tim Nixon, whose home is between two sharp bends in Bestmans Lane, said the proposed bays would be in the wrong place.

Vehicles trying to pass between the bends would have to use his drive or that of his neighbour as a passing place.

Others raised worries about flooding, saying that the filling in of ditches and ponds had already brought problems with surface water drainage and any further development could make this worse.

A further concern was the tipping of materials of unknown origin, which residents feared might be contaminated.

Chairman Joy Clee said the council had historically objected to this kind of development in narrow country lanes, but the principle had already been agreed some years ago, when permission was granted on appeal.

Members agreed they were now faced with a damage limitation exercise and did not want to see similar problems to those in Brook End Lane, where a small industrial site is used by heavy lorries.

District councillor Mike Biddle said the matters of drainage and tipping could be dealt with and planning conditions could guard against noisy operations.

He suggested that residents' representatives should discuss the problems of existing and potential traffic with Malvern Hills Highways Partnership.

The council agreed to inform planners of residents' concerns and they were also advised to write to Malvern Hills planning department individually.