PLANS to build a new housing estate which could change the face of a riverside town have been deferred by councillors.

Developer Miller Strategic Land wants to build more than 500 houses on land at South Bank, off Offenham Road, Evesham, But Wychavon planners have criticised the “lack of detail” about on-site community and sports facilities should a planned-for school not materialise on a neighbouring building plot.

Councillors also want more time for a response to the plans by the Highways Agency because it is responsible for the upkeep of the main A46 road which will take more traffic if the estate is built. The only access to the development would be from a new roundabout onto Offenham Road.

County council highways officer Gareth Jones said it had no objections to the development and that Miller Strategic Land had agreed in principle to complete construction of the site access roundabout when the first house was finished. It was envisaged that another roundabout, at the junction of Offenham Road and Elm Road, would be built by the time the 150th home was occupied.

Many councillors at a planning and development control committee meeting could not understand the county council’s stance because another application for 400 homes on nearby Badsey Road had also been submitted. Evesham Town Council had also objected, mainly over concerns about traffic.

However, Wychavon’s planning officer Jonathan Edwards said: “The impact of traffic is not severe enough to warrant refusal.”

Paul Hill, speaking for the developers, said they had agreed money to upgrade bus stops and to subsidise a bus route through the completed estate.

He said: “Thirty per cent, or 152 of the homes, will be affordable, which will help the council meet its own affordable housing targets.”

A separate plan to build a new primary school on land on the western site of the boundary – controlled by the developer – caused concern over the timing of its completion.

Councillor Martin King, the local member of Wychavon District Council, said: “Steps need to be taken so infrastructure is in place before the development is done.

“A new school is needed but it needs to be in place before the site is finished.”

Gill Collin, head of planning, said planners had no control over schools, which are run by the county council.

Coun King said: “It seems these houses can be foisted on us without any infrastructure in place.”

Coun Judy Pearce said: “If we don’t have a guarantee the school will be there then we need some guarantee for all the people who will be living on this estate.”

Coun Anna Mackison said she did not feel planners had “enough information” to accept the plans.

Mr Edwards said a legal agreement known as a section 106 could compell the developer to contribute more money for sports and community facilities if the school was not built.

Councillors agreed by a majority vote to defer making a decision until the next meeting of the committee.