A GIPSY family have won a planning bid to increase the size of their pitch – but were told there would no more room to expand.

Applicants from Five Oaks Mobile Home Park in Hay Lane, Shernal Green, near Droitwich, wanted permission to put four new mobile homes on the site. There are already four on site.

The homes would be used by the four children of the applicants.

Plans were recommended for conditional approval by Wychavon District Council’s planning officers at a meeting on Thursday, but councillors were less convinced. The proposal had been deferred from the last planning committee meeting to get more information about the sewage storage on site.

Coun Margaret Rowley criticised the Environment Agency and the district council’s drainage engineers for not visiting the site since February, to be able to give the committee updated information.

“When the Environment Agency went there, it found pollution and I am disappointed that we have had no further comment from either the council or the EA,” she said.

Coun Judy Pearce said she had “no problem” with extending the site, but said there should be a planning condition enabling council engineers to satisfy themselves the sewage pump was doing its job properly. Coun Audrey Steel asked why there was no mention of the flooding which, she claimed, “is renowned in Hay Lane”.

But her planning committee colleague Coun Rowley said the flooding was a direct result of the nearby railway line not down to the gipsy site.

The plans were approved by 14 votes to one.