PROPOSALS by Malvern Hills District Council to sell a town centre site for housing have been put on hold after its own planners refused to give the homes development permission.

Birmingham-based FCH Housing and Care applied for planning permission to build 38 "affordable" flats in two buildings on the council owned Treasurer's site, currently used as car parking, between Albert Park Road and Victoria Road.

But the scheme, described by one councillor as "high rise blocks of flats in Victorian costume", was thrown out by MHDC's own planning sub-committee by 16 votes to two.

The reason given for refusal was that the plan was an over-development of the site and unsuitable for the Conservation Area.

Planning officers had recommended it for approval. It is not yet known whether FCH will appeal against the refusal.

MHDC's Stephen Leese said following the planning meeting, the executive board had decided to postpone the land sale.

"It will be deferred until the Strategic Land and Property Review which we are undertaking has been completed. This will take three or four months," he said, adding that postponing the sale would have no budget implications.

The scheme attracted fierce criticism from local residents, who said the loss of parking would cause congestion in surrounding residential roads. One hundred and thirty-seven pro-forma letters and 45 individual letters of objection were received.

Coun Roger Hall-Jones (Priory) said he objected to the scheme both for its impact on the Conservation Area and on car parking.

"This is a very important site because it has frontages on three important Malvern streets," he said. "When I look at this plan there are a number of things significantly wrong."

He said the building would appear very bulky from Church Street's junctions with both Albert Park Road and Victoria Road.

Coun Richard Manning (West) said: "Really, they are high rise blocks of flats in Victorian costume, set in a car park."

Nigel Lomas, for BLB Architects, the applicants' agents, said the council's decision was puzzling.

He said: "The fact is that we've been negotiating with MHDC for 18 months, working very closely with planning officers, including the conservation officer, and so we are somewhat perplexed that it has now been refused."

He said FCH was currently considering the way forward. Options include appealing against the decision, or submitting a new planning application.

Cherry Sprackling of the Save Malvern Car Parks Action Group, which opposed the plan, said: "We are delighted with the result and with what the district councillors said."