THE much-loved character and heritage of Worcester's Diglis Basin will be lost under the proposed multi-million pound development claims a city woman.

Julia Hones, whose boat is moored at the basin, claims the traditional character enjoyed by thousands of visitors and boaters every year will be lost as five-storey houses and flats are built around the inner basin.

The development, proposed by British Waterways and Bryant Homes, would see the area filled with 550 new houses and apartments, new offices and a restaurant. But Mrs Hones said although she was not totally against the development, building in the inner basin would destroy the attraction for visitors.

"People walk down here to look at the beautiful boats," she said.

"But with five-storey buildings around the inner basin all they will see are the apartments.

"The area has lots of character and heritage because it is so original, but that will all go."

The 58-year-old added that traffic around the area with the new homes would become a major problem and predicted severe congestion throughout the area.

She also claimed there would not be enough parking in the area for the development and feared emergency services would struggle to get to the homes.

And despite assurances none of the boaters would lose mooring facilities, she insisted some would be lost and life would be a lot more difficult for those remaining.

"At the moment we can park next to our boat, which means packing the boat when we use it is quite convenient," she added.

"But with the development, we will have a car park of 15 spaces, which is not enough for the amount of boats here.

"Then there will also be the problem of boaters running their engines to charge their batteries. That will result in complaints."