A PLAN to build six flats at the rear of a bakery in Evesham's Port Street has been thrown out.

Members of Wychavon District Council's planning committee agreed that while they were not against residential development of the site at the rear of Robbins Bakery they felt this application, submitted by Ed Cohen, was not up to scratch.

The planning officer's report recommended refusing the outline application, and head of planning Jack Hegarty, told the committee it did not have to accept second best proposals simply because an area, like this, was in need of a boost.

A similar application was refused last year and an inspector dismissed a subsequent appeal on the grounds the proposals would impose on neighbouring houses in Burford Road and neither enhance nor preserve the conservation area.

Planning officers told last week's committee they believed the latest proposal had not got to grips with issues identified by the inspector.

Planning officer Simon Saint said: "The matter needs more careful consideration for the long term."

Earlier Councillor Ron Cartwright had argued for approval on the grounds that the area was badly in need of rejuvenation and would benefit from having people living there.

Coun Martin Jennings added that although the area was a conservation area, he saw nothing worth conserving and described the arguments against development as 'ludicrous.'

"I cannot see how the cause of conservation in this area would be served by refusal of this particular plan," he added.