THE shock turnaround by Malvern Hills councillors means plans for 23,000 homes across South Worcestershire are back on the cards and should be ready to submit for government approval on schedule.

That seemed impossible last month when Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) threw out a motion declaring the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP), a blueprint more than five years in the making, “deliverable and sound”.

But MHDC leader David Hughes was determined councillors should have another chance to redeem the SWDP, insisting some “did not realise the implications” of their decision.

On Monday more than 150 people packed into the Bank House as councillors eventually approved the SWDP. This had looked unlikely early on in the meeting as councillors caught Coun Hughes by surprise by pushing through a vote for a fallback motion opposing the SWDP to be considered before the one supporting it. This led to Coun Hughes proposing the SWDP be rejected while openly admitting he would be voting against his own motion – a position he described as “highly unusual”.

But when it came to the crunch, councillors voted against rejecting the SWDP by 19 votes to 15, with one abstention.

This paved the way for a vote to accept the SWDP, which was won by 19 votes to 13, with three abstentions.

Coun Hughes said he was “relieved and very pleased”. “I have been accused of scaremongering and manipulating and that has not been my intention at all,” he said.

“It has been to try to get people to understand the real dangers and risks of the SWDP failing.

“This gives us a clear way forward with our partners in South Worcestershire to get a plan in place at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Worcester City also approved the SWDP during its own vote on Monday.

Wychavon, which had previously threatened to break away and develop its own local plan, will meet on Tuesday to approve the SWDP – a vote widely considered a formality.

􀁥 Coun Hughes admitted he issued a whip to his Conservative party members compelling them to vote in favour of the SWDP.

The Green Party’s Julian Roskams is demanding an official investigation. But Coun Hughes said Coun Roskams had politicised the issue with a motion of no confidence specifically mentioning the SWDP.

HOW YOUR COUNCILLOR VOTED VOTE

1: TO NOT APPROVE SWDP

Vote lost 15-19 (one abstention).

FOR: Hannah Campbell, Jill Campbell, Roger Hall-Jones, Mike Soley, Tony Warburton (all Con). Janet Marriott, Elaine Newman, Brian Pilcher, Tom Wells, Sheila Young (all Lib Dem).

Julian Roskams, Clive Smith (both Green). David Harrison (independent, Con group). Tim Perry (ind). Roger Sutton (ind, Lib Dem/Green/ Ind group) .

AGAINST: Roger Bass, Bronwen Behan, Chris Cheeseman, Paul Cumming, Gill Farmer, Susan Gill, Phil Grove, Roy Harding, David Hughes, Rebecca Massey, Mike Morgan, Tony Penn, Will Redman, Paul Swinburn, Barbara Williams (all Co). Steve Brown, Graham Myatt, Val Myatt (all Lib Dem). Adam Rea (ind, Con group).

ABSTAIN: Dean Clarke (Con).

VOTE 2: TO APPROVE THE SWDP

Vote won 19-13 (three abstentions).

FOR: Roger Bass, Bronwen Behan, Chris Cheeseman, Dean Clarke, Paul Cumming, Gill Farmer, Susan Gill, Phil Grove, Roy Harding, David Hughes, Rebecca Massey, Mike Morgan, Tony Penn, Will Redman, Paul Swinburn, Barbara Williams (all Con).

Steve Brown, Val Myatt (both Lib Dem). Adam Rea (Ind, Con group).

AGAINST: Roger Hall-Jones, Mike Soley, Tony Warburton (all Con). Janet Marriott, Elaine Newman, Brian Pilcher, Tom Wells, Sheila Young (all Lib Dem).

David Harrison (Ind, Con group).

Tim Perry (ind). Julian Roskams, Clive Smith (both Green). Roger Sutton (Ind, Lib Dem/Green/Ind group).

ABSTAIN: Hannah Campbell, Jill Campbell (both Con).

Val Myatt (Lib Dem).