A DECISION on the future of Grove Farm could be announced in two months' time.

A public inquiry was held in June into Worcester City Council's plans to convert the 35-acre site between the city's Bromyard Road and Bransford Road into an industrial estate.

The West Midlands Government Office already has a copy of the inspector's report, but has not released the findings. It has said a final decision should be made before the end of October.

"That's only the target date," Stuart McNidder, the council's director of development services, said today.

"The Government Office will now prepare background papers, which have to be agreed with one of the Ministers in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions."

Mr McNidder said the result would be publicised when a Minister - or even the Secretary of State for the Environment, John Prescott - was available to visit Worcester in person.

Colin Layland, the vice-chairman of Grove Farm Action Group, claimed the outcome might be revealed within a month.

"The results of the inquiry should be known very soon - perhaps in the next three or four weeks," he said.

"We want Grove Farm to stay as a greenfield site."

Before the public inquiry in the city's Guildhall, the head of planning and economic development, Mark Middleton, was instructed not to speak in favour of the controversial plans for an industrial estate .

The proposals had been supported by the Labour group on the council but opposed by the other parties.

After Labour lost control of the city council in May, members of the technical services committee voted that Mr Middleton should only answer factual questions put by the inspector.