Vital infrastructure such as improved roads, and better pedestrian and cycle ways and road crossings should be built before a massive housing development starts on the southern edge of Worcester.

That’s what one councillor told county council officials at a discussion of the plans to build a new ‘village’ of more than 2,200 houses between Broomhall Lane and Kempsey, between Norton Road to the east and the A38 and the River Severn in the west.

Members of Worcester City Council’s planning committee approved a recommendation that the final decision on the scheme be delegated to the planning committee of Malvern Hill District Council. The application has been made to three authorities, including Wychavon District Council, which has already agreed to give responsibility to its western counterpart – the development area is on land in all three council’s areas, but the great majority of it is in Malvern Hills’ patch.

But as it might be built on the edge of the Worcester city limit, the city’s councillors expressed some concern.

Councillor Roger Knight, who represents St Peter’s ward, just north of the southern ring road separating his ward from the possible new development said: “We need this infrastructure before they start building the new houses there.

“That includes dualling the Carrington Bridge and sorting out pedestrian crossing of Broomhall way. At the moment it’s too dangerous because the road is so busy.”

Cllr Knight wants to see a pedestrian bridge built, crossing Broomhall way, which joins up with paths in Power park near the electricity substation just west of the Norton roundabout.

He said: “All of this infrastructure still seems a long time away.”

Karen Hanshett from Worcestershire County Council told the meeting that the improvements weren’t just a pipe-dream, that money had been identified, work would start on dualling the road and bridge in 2019 and would be completed by 2021.

Councillor Knight said, after the meeting: “That still is a long time for us in the area.”

Malvern Hills District Council’s northern area planning committee will meet at 6pm on Wednesday March 7 at the council chamber in Avenue Road, Malvern.