A SCHEME to develop a green field site close to the centre of Malvern has been turned down by planners.

The Oseman family wanted to build housing on the 4.1-acre site, lying between Meadow Road, Malvern Link, and the railway line.

The application has been strongly criticised by local residents, who referred to the site as part of Malvern's "green lung" of open spaces between the railway and Pickersleigh Road. They were also worried about the impact on the Meadow Road estate of increased traffic.

More than 45 objections to the plan were sent in to Malvern Hills District Council, and Malvern Town Council also voiced its objections.

The scheme has been turned down by MHDC planning officers, under delegated powers, without being considered by elected councillors.

David Murray, MHDC's head of development control, said: "This is because the proposal was in conflict with the council's stated policies for Malvern."

He said the site was allocated in the local plan as open space, and the same applied to other fields within the "green lung" area.

"The presumption in planning is that new housing developments should occupy brown field sites, not green field sites," said Mr Murray.

The applicant David Oseman told the Gazette on Wednesday: "We haven't decided yet whether to appeal against the decision; I only got the refusal notice yesterday."

Meadow Road resident David Taylor said: "We are cautiously optimistic about this decision, but there's still a risk that it will sneak back in, either by appeal, or when the local plan is revised."