A MALVERN developer faces having to open his front door to ramblers if he loses the fight to have a public footpath diverted.

Denis Schwarz, of Davenham Close, is building a four-bedroom detached house for himself on land between Meadow Road and Willow Grove in Malvern Link, but local residents are claiming that a public right of way exists on his site.

When Mr Schwarz bought the land two years ago he said Worcestershire County Council had assured him there was no footpath running across the land.

"It wasn't until I put in a planning application that the Council objected that there was a public right of way there," he said.

Now, two years on and with the house nearing completion, a Definitive Map Modification Order has been applied for by local users of the route to confirm the existence of the right of way.

Mr Schwarz said the whole situation was a "complete nightmare".

"I wouldn't have bought the site if I'd known about this and the Council had done their job properly.

"It would have a detrimental effect on the property and in my opinion it's a pointless footpath, it doesn't go anywhere," he said.

In the meantime, fences put up by Mr Schwarz to stop people walking across the site, which he says are for health and safety reasons, have frustrated local residents.

Meadow Road resident, Sally Morris, said they would love to use the path.

"Now everyone has to walk around the estate instead of using the path which is an inconvenience for people," she said.

David Jones, County Rights of Way officer, said opportunities did exist to divert a footpath.

"But if the path is put on the definitive map we can quite lawfully put up footpath signs directing people through the site and I have experienced situations where paths go right through people's gardens and houses, it's a nightmare scenario," he added.

A decision is expected in the next few months.