A NEW application to build houses on a controversial site off Lower Howsell Road in Malvern Link has been sent in to Malvern Hills District Council.

The application has been made by Halkin Developments Ltd, which submitted another application to build 110 houses on the land in August 2014.

That application has yet to be decided by the district council; the last time it discussed the plan, at a meeting in September, there was anger from both councillors and members of the public about the failure to produce an up-to-date survey of traffic in local roads. The plan had previously been discussed at a meeting in June.

In a letter accompanying the latest application, agents Harris Lamb says: "The application has been submitted following an appeal made on the grounds on non-determination by the applicant following the failure of Malvern Hills District Council, on two occasions, to make a decision in respect of [the earlier application] despite officers' recommendations on both occasions, that planning permission be granted."

The letter also says that Halkin hopes the application can be discussed at a district council meeting scheduled for February 17, along with the original one.

The application drew dozens of letters of objection from residents, whose concerns included the safety of the access from the site on to Lower Howsell Road, its impact on local roads generally, the loss of open space, the tendency of the site to flood, and other reasons.

Ron Harris of the Link Forum, who has been co-ordinating opposition to the plan, said: "I will be asking the council to transfer all the comments from the old application to the new one, but to be on the safe side, I would urge all those who objected to the original plan to resubmit their objections to the new plan, because it's just the same as the old one.

"You can find the new plan by going on to the council's planning website and entering the application number 15/01738."

Mr Harris said that in the 1990s, an attempt was made by Bovis Homes to develop the site, but it was turned down because the junction on to Lower Howsell Road was felt to be inadequate.