FURIOUS residents have slammed the city council's shock u-turn to approve a Worcester firm's £5 million headquarters, and called on their parish council to act.

In March the Worcester News reported on the surprising 9-2 vote of Worcester City Council's planning committee to allow Gtech to erect a new 2,195-metre home on fields off Berkeley Way and Parsonage Way, despite a record 950 public objections and concern from Historic England.

It was only weeks after the committee voted to be 'minded to refuse' the application, a stance which was expected to be rubber-stamped at the second meeting.

In the year prior to the application going before the committee a campaign against the development, led by Warndon Village residents, saw public meetings called, and a picket outside a Gtech event discussing the proposals.

The latest meeting of Warndon Parish Council was suspended at the start for public questions on all subjects - but the section was dominated with several questions about Gtech and lasted over 45 minutes as disappointed protestors pleaded with parish councillors to do something.

Early on parish council chairman, Dave Long, explained he was "very frustrated" at the decision but said he believed there was no course of action open to them.

The chairman said: "The South Worcester Development Plan (SWDP) was found sound, adopted by three south Worcestershire councils, but within weeks has basically been undermined.

"A precedent has been set."

Councillor Lee Morris said: "As a parish council, my understanding is there is very little I or the parish council, or anybody else can do now to alter this decision."

Those sitting in the public gallery expressed their frustration at the committee's u-turn and not being able to appeal - one resident saying they had lost faith in their local council who they felt they could no longer trust as "they could not make a basic decision".

Andrew Roberts, Worcester City councillor for Warndon - a member of the planning committee but did not vote on the application, attended the meeting and said he understood and sympathised with the protestors.

He explained 'minded to refuse' was different to a refusal, and said if residents had felt there had been malpractice on the second vote they could push for a judicial review.

The chairman said although the decision had been made that did not stop the parish council being a voice for residents, and pledged to write to the city council to get answers.

"All we are asking, as a group of people, is just for an answer to why," Mr Long said.

"Nearly 1,000 people bothered to get involved and objected - their voice deserves to be heard.

"We will be going back with some basic questions we want answers to."