ENORMOUS plans for a £500 million 'super village' in Worcester can today be revealed - including 2,200 homes, a hotel, shops, primary school, health surgery, businesses, sports centre, parks, allotments and acres of open space.

Developers have come forward with firm plans to bring a massive south Worcester 'urban extension' to reality on acres of fields between St Peter's and Kempsey, changing the face of the city forever.

It also comes as another developer submits a formal bid to build 1,400 properties on the other side of the city, on the outskirts of St John's off Oldbury Road.

With plans submitted for 3,600 new homes in total across the two sites, it means the city is now looking at one of its biggest economic booms since Worcester's 1940s expansion.

The south Worcester scheme, which we exclusively revealed was first on the cards two years ago, has been formally submitted to the city council by London-based investors Welbeck Land under an outline planning application.

The land forms part of the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP), meaning it is already earmarked for homes.

If accepted by the council, it will take around 15 years to complete.

The development will see fields opposite the Southern Link Road bounded by the A4440, Norton Road, Broomhall, the M5 and River Severn being developed section-by-section, stretching from fields behind the Ketch car boot sale all the way to Kempsey.

As the debate reignites about how Worcester will cope with such a big expansion, leading figures have insisted the step is a "big sign of confidence" in the city.

Cllr Adrian Gregson, the leader of Worcester City Council, said: "The principle of this development has already been agreed by all three district councils, and I'm pleased developers are coming forward to put a reality on what's in the plan.

"We recognise the need for more housing and also the need for infrastructure, it must include a range of facilities whether it be education, the roads, and so on.

"It's a sign that Worcester is a growing city and a focus of attention, not just in Worcestershire but beyond - it's also an opportunity to create development fit for the 21st century."

Worcester MP Robin Walker said: "This is very significant - it delivers a big element of what is in the SWDP, and what is also good news is that in the current environment, builders are prepared to go ahead.

"So it's positive from that perspective. What we don't need is homes without the planning for the schools, roads, and so on - this is a big vote of confidence in Worcester's economy and the UK economy."

The outline planning application is expected to be voted on by the city council in October or November, and then Welbeck Land will return with a final, detailed one.

Alistair Watson, from Welbeck, said: "We'll make sure the infrastructure is put in and plots of land will be sold to housing developers - the value of the scheme is hundreds of millions."

The final scheme will include 14 hectares of employment land and designated 'older people's accommodation', as well as houses to suit every use.

It will effectively become its own estate similar to St Peter's, featuring tree-lined residential streets, orchards and acres of public realm.

WEST WORCESTER ALSO IN LINE FOR HUGE CHANGE

WARNINGS are being fired about how Worcester's roads will cope after the city's huge overhaul - with the 2,200 home expansion mirrored by a separate bid to extend its western boundary.

We can also reveal how Bloor Homes has submitted plans to build 1,400 properties on fields off the A44 near Oldbury Road in Lower Broadheath, bordering the city.

Like Welbeck's investment into south Worcester, the greenery also forms part of the approved South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) which earmarks land for 28,370 homes in the city, Malvern and Wychavon by 2030.

The section of land in question is known as the west Worcester urban extension, with the land allowed to take around 2,150 properties in total.

But the timing of the bid, at exactly the same time as the south Worcester revamp, sparked fresh concern last night.

Councillor Richard Udall, who represents St John's on the city and county council, said: "It illustrates the total necessity of completing the orbital link around the city - otherwise it'll cause chaos and cut off St John's.

"Dualling just the southern link on its own will just create one big car park for people to sit in."

Decision makers in the county have already ruled out any attempts to get the link road complete around Worcester during the SWDP plan period, which has 14 years to run.

Worcestershire County Council is currently deep in the middle of a £41 million project to dual the A4440 Southern Link Road, which is due to finish in 2018.

In July it also applied for development funding from central Government towards dualling the A4440 Carrington Bridge at a cost of £70 million, with county leaders desperately hoping it gets the go-ahead before most of the homes are built.

Councillor Ken Pollock, the cabinet member for economy, infrastructure and the environment at County Hall, said: "Both of the schemes will generate a lot of cash and that in turn will help the infrastructure.

"Both are good schemes, they are close to the centre of Worcester and we know the demand for housing, so I'm wholly in favour of it.

"It's a judgment as to whether these schemes will create so much traffic that it'll overload the plans we have to improve the roads at the moment, I don't agree that it will."

Councillor Douglas Godwin, who represents Lower Broadheath on Malvern Hills District Council, said: "The views in Lower Broadheath vary, is it good or bad? It depends who you talk to.

"It's effectively in Worcester, right on the boundary - it's good for builders, bricklayers and good for people who need housing, but maybe not so good for people sat in traffic on Carrington Bridge.

"Our job is to make sure we extract whatever we can from this process to get the best possible benefits for the community, the city and the county."