PEOPLE living near a controversial housing development in Malvern Wells have warned that it is only a matter of time before a serious accident takes place.

Developer Wilcon Homes is building 14 houses on Kings Road and uses the street to get lorries, diggers and other vehicles to the site.

Some householders say lorries have clipped buildings and cars and present a safety risk to young children walking to nearby Malvern Wells Primary School.

They also find their own cars blocked in when trying to leave for work, with lorries turning up as early as 7pm.

Fiona Curnow, who lives in Assarts Road, said the risk posed was "appalling".

"With other building sites there's an agreement that heavy construction traffic should not come and go from the site during school arrival and departure times," she said. "It's a shame the children of Malvern Wells Primary School will not have the benefit of similar consideration."

Kings Road resident Karen Downs said the development had caused householders "absolute hell" since it started in ernest 18 months ago.

"You can't get out in the morning because there are lorries, cement mixers and various bits of machinery," she said. "How there has not been a major accident there I don't know."

Malvern Hills District Council actually rejected the original application in 1986 for the main reason that a substantial increase in traffic caused would "seriously prejudice" the safety and convenience of road-users and children attending the school. But the proposal was granted on appeal in January 1987, with the only traffic-related condition that the junction at Kings Road and Welland Road should be improved before work started.

Further "renewal" planning permissions were passed in October 1999 and May 2000 with similar conditions.

Coun John Tretheway, who represents the area on the district council, said the development and its consequences had caused concern since its approval.

"The bottom line is we're all trying to find a solution and we're all equally concerned about it," he said.

Tom Darnell, site manager for Wilcon Homes, said it had an agreement in principle with Malvern Hills District Council to only operate between 8am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

"At the end of the day it's in everybody's best interests to get the job done and move on," he said.