RADIO Wyvern's Barbourne base is to be turned into six houses after plans were approved for a £2m restoration of the listed building.

The Georgian town houses - 5 and 6 Barbourne Terrace, Worcester - have had extensions in the past and the move will return the main building to something like its original state.

The three-storey property will be split into four apartments and two houses will be built in the back garden, on a car park for the station.

Councillors unanimously backed the plans on Thursday, in what was the fifth occasion in just two-and-a-half years that ZMB Developments had applied to transform the site.

The planning committee heard that Mio Blagojevic, managing director of ZMB, had cut the houses at the back from three to two and addressed all other previous planning concerns.

Councillor Francis Lankester said: "It's been a long process. The argument that some development in the back is needed because of the cost of improving the Georgian property is a compelling one in this case.

"Does it improve the area? Certainly, at the front. In the circumstances, those at the back are now also acceptable.

"We were right to stand firm on four previous occasions because in the end we have a much-improved scheme."

Coun Sue Askin agreed it was as good a compromise as possible and Coun Geoff Williams was also satisfied that earlier concerns - especially overcrowding - had been addressed.

"The listed building has been enhanced and the buildings at the rear are sufficiently modest not to detract from the overall conservation area," he said.

The committee supported the plans despite earlier hearing objections from Ian Raine, who lives next to the property and claimed to be speaking for another 11 residents.

"It is a damaging development that would set a dangerous precedent," he had said. "This is materially the same as previous applications.

"It fails to preserve or enhance the south side view to Sharman Close."

Mr Blagojevic said he was delighted with the outcome.