PLANS to build a replacement children's home in Barnards Green have been given the go-ahead by Worcestershire County Council in the face of opposition from local residents.

A children's home has been on the site since 1985, which has provided accommodation for up to six youngsters.

But because of regulations covering children's homes, the existing building is no longer adequate and a new, larger one is needed.

However, residents of two neighbouring sheltered housing complexes for the elderly have objected to the plan. Nine letters were received from Merrievale Court and three letters and a 21- signature petition from Storer Court.

Objectors said it was wrong to site a children's home next to old people's flats and that there had been problems with the children's behaviour in the past. They were also worried about road safety and noise and dust from the building work.

Malvern Hills District Council also objected, calling the plan an overdevelopment of the site. But on Tuesday (July 30), the county council's planning and regulatory committee approved the plan.

A report by officers, presented to the committee, said there would not "be any appreciable disbenefit to the neighbouring elderly residents, except during the building phase" and concluded the plan was acceptable.

The approval is conditional on the building work being restricted to 8am-6pm Monday-Friday, 8am-1pm Saturday and not at all on Sundays and bank holidays.

Work on the project, which is budgeted at £500,000, is expected to start later this year.