A LARGE holiday village at Upton Marina could change the character of Upton-upon-Severn, according to opponents of the scheme.

Sixty apartments and 43 lodges, as suggested in the latest plan for the marina, would be too many, said objectors at a packed public meeting.

A few people also objected to the planned extension of the marina basin, which would double the size of the present marina and provide 120 additional moorings.

They were worried about the loss of a public footpath across the site and about the effect on the views from Ryall and the Hams, with a forest of steel piles rising from the new basin to secure the floating pontoons.

More than 140 people attended the meeting called by Upton Civic Society to discuss Walton Marine's outline development plan.

Out of 30 members of the public who commented on the scheme, only three were wholly in favour.

The consensus, in line with the views of the Civic Society and the Malvern Hills branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England, was that the present proposal would be over-development, but a modified plan might be acceptable.

Peter Pumfrey, who is vice-chairman of the Civic Society, said one of the fears was that a large development would bring an increase in traffic and detract from the attraction of the Upton area.

The project would take 10 to 15 years to complete, which would mean long periods of development work, followed by periods of inactivity.

On the plus side, it would create extra jobs and bring more trade into the town.

CPRE secretary Frank Hill said he would give lukewarm support to the idea of a new marina basin and up to 30 apartments, if they were contained on the present marina site.

"I think there is a compromise solution that would bring some benefit to Walton Marine and some to the town, without ruining the countryside," he said.

The Environment Agency is concerned about the effect on local flood levels of a development in the flood plain.

It wants details of the proposed breaching and replacement of the flood defence embankment, measures being taken to safeguard the flood flow over a car park and an amended flood risk assessment before commenting on the plans.

Malvern Hills planning officers recommended refusal of the 16th draft of the outline proposal when it was submitted to the southern area planning committee in December.

But members decided to defer a decision after Walton Marine submitted last minute amendments aiming to answer some of the objections officers had raised.

Head of development control David Murray said the latest draft was likely to go back to the planning committee next month.