A CONTROVERSIAL business park that would create up to 2,000 jobs on the edge of Worcester is being discussed by councillors this week.

Plans for the 44,000sq m site on open land beside Worcestershire Royal Hospital were first submitted to the city council and reported by the Worcester News in March.

On Thursday, the planning committee will examine the outline proposals to build 13 offices, a pub and a creche on the field between Newtown Road and Nunnery Way.

Officers recommend approving the scheme at this early stage - the current application is a preliminary bid - to allow details of design, height and landscaping to be submitted.

Under the outline plans, Newtown Road would be partially widened - around the entrance to the park and left-hand turn into the hospital - to cope with the extra traffic, a roundabout and toucan crossing would be added and a protected tree would also be lost.

The city council has received objections from Warndon Parish Council and residents and concerns have been raised by the Open Space Society.

Case officer Paul O'Connor backs the business park, as the land has already been designated as a "good quality employment site suitable for locally-based investment".

"My primary concern is the balance between delivering this employment site, including the necessary road widening scheme, against increased traffic and the effect on nearby properties," he said.

"To safeguard the amenity of the houses opposite, conditions have been added to restrict the height of the office blocks to two storeys."

The widening of the hospital entrance lane is a boost for the new park-and-ride bus service and the developers, being acted for by Strutt & Parker, have agreed to meet the costs - a standard planning agreement between companies and the council.

Local residents remain unconvinced, with those in Warndon objecting to the increase in traffic, noise and pollution that could affect nearby homes and the hospital.

However, the council said that specific concerns about the details of the application will be dealt with at a later stage in the planning process.