Plan review 'misleading'

They say the review by the district council's overview and scrutiny committee is "an entirely stage-managed affair."

Robert Vaughan, spokesman for up to 50 Aggborough residents who attended the meeting, said: "Residents were furious and frustrated about some of the misleading statements made but were unable to challenge them."

Under the scheme, the Kidderminster College site off Hoo Road would be sold to Prowting Homes and the cash used to fund a new building in Market Street.

Mr Vaughan said: "Both the 'witness' for the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and the residents' spokesman were prevented from completing their presentations by unnecessary five-minute deadlines established by the chairman.

"Prowting Homes' case was already laid out for them in 12 pages by WFDC planning, while the residents were not given time to answer those points."

He said as a result, many serious issues were not dealt with at the meeting last Wednesday, including potential parking problems for employers and tourist attractions such as Severn Valley Railway and Kidderminster Harriers.

Other issues not addressed included the loss of open space, together with hundreds of trees, as well as badgers, bats and birds; how the development would mean less traffic than currently existed, and how it was possible to create safer site exits, he said.

But Councillor Fran Oborski, who chaired the meeting said opponents were given three times as much time as the developers to put their case. She said the committee could only consider whether the proposed change of use of the land was appropriate, not details of the actual application.

She added: "If somebody wants this land to keep its current usage, somebody had better find the money to buy the land."

The application by Prowting Homes was approved and referred back to the planning (development control) committee for its final consideration on June 19 with a recommendation that it carry out a site visit.