Details of plan to transform town revealed (From Worcester News)

Details of plan to transform town revealed

4:10pm Monday 1st October 2012 in News By Tarik Al Rasheed

BIG IDEAS: An artist’s impression of how the centre of the development proposed for Malvern could look

MORE detailed plans for the 700-home development that could change the face of Malvern have been revealed for the first time.

The Worcester News's sister paper the Malvern Gazette has obtained a report by developer Gleeson Strategic Land outlining its plans for a massive development of housing and employment land at Newland on the north-east edge of Malvern.

The site, a major belt of farmland between Lower Howsell Road and the A449 Worcester Road, is earmarked for 700 homes in the South Worcestershire Devel-opment Plan (SWDP).

Gleeson was first linked with the area in 2008, when it submitted a report recommending the same site for inclusion in the South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy – the aborted predecessor of the SWDP.

However, the latest document, received by stakeholders including parish councils and Malvern Civic Society this week, reveals exactly what Gleeson has in mind.

As well as 700 homes, including affordable housing and accommodation for the elderly, it refers to 25 acres of employment land, a primary school, community hall, cemetery, police post and neighbourhood shops.

Almost half of the site would be green space, including sports pitches, play areas and a community orchard.

The SWDP – a planning blueprint mapping out where development should take place until 2030 – is still a work in progress and must win the backing of Malvern Hills district councillors before going forward to an examination in public and potential adoption in 2013.

Gleeson spokesman Scott Chamberlain said: “The site is within walking distance of Malvern and, due to the scale proposed, it can deliver multi-million pound improvements to local roads, the Townsend Way roundabout, affordable housing, on-site employment and new facilities.

Roger Sutton, chairman of Malvern Civic Society, said: “I think it is extremely presumptuous when it has not even been agreed to build any houses at Newland.”