CONTROVERSIAL plans to build homes in front of an historic Worcester landmark have been rejected – and branded as "crazy".

Worcester City Council has blocked a deeply contentious bid to create four large houses in front of Heron Lodge, in London Road, saying it would seriously damage the setting of a nationally-important heritage site.

During the 1820s the lodge was a villa for Rear Admiral Herbert Brace Powell, who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

The same millionaire developer who has already built on other sections of the land – and got into a furious dispute with council chiefs over a wrecked orangery – has failed in his latest bid.

Richard Roseborne, who is behind the previous work at the site, wanted four family-sized homes directly in front of Heron Lodge itself.

But the council's planning committee threw it out, with incredulous councillors saying they were "appalled" by the scheme after objections from local residents and Historic England.

Cllr Lynn Denham said: "It's fair to say, I've seen applications before us which offered a marginal benefit and nibbled away at a Conservation Area, and we've approved it.

"But this is a step too far - there is significant objection from local people who love the area and love the setting.

"A key feature of the lodge is the sweeping drive and the green open space in front of it, this would seriously damage that setting.

"It's unacceptable, we shouldn't be allowing the destruction of a superb building in the city."

Cllr Pat Agar said she was "appalled" by it, adding: "Heron Lodge is a very attractive building, the setting is outstanding, it's very much part of the green network and an orchard is there.

"It's a Grade II listed building of enormous local and national interest, to damage its setting in such a way would be unacceptable."

Another committee member, Councillor Alan Feeney, added: "If the developer thinks we can endorse this, my question is 'what planet is he on?'"

He called the refusal "a no-brainer", before councillors voted the bid out.

Planning officials have now ordered Mr Roseborne to remove large mounds of soil which have built up at the site, something which had been placed there in anticipation of approval.

The Grade II listed Heron Lodge was home to one of Worcester's most prominent investors, businessman William Kilbourne Kay, in the early 1900s.

The entrepreneur formed mail-order catalogue company Kay's in 1889, living at the site in the early 19th century.

The main building itself has already undergone a transformation with four luxury homes at the site, including one on the market last year for £500,000.

ORANGERY ROW COMES TO AN END

COUNCIL chiefs say they have dropped the threat of prosecuting the developer after an historic orangery on the site was rebuilt, pictured below.

Worcester News: NEW: The replaced orangery within the confines of Heron Lodge.

Back in November 2012 Mr Roseborne was awarded planning permission to create four homes at Heron Lodge as long as the orangery – one of the last original ones still standing in Britain – was restored.

But after they found asbestos underneath the structure it was later dismantled, sparking outrage.

The developer had a retrospective planning application to demolish it refused, and was then ordered to rebuild it brick-by-brick to the same standard or face legal action.

At the time Mr Roseborne claimed the greenhouse pictured below "fell down".

Worcester News: GREENHOUSE: How the orangery used to look at Heron Lodge in Worcester.

Throughout 2016 work was done on replacing it and a city council spokesman confirmed yesterday that the wrangle was over, despite Worcester Civic Society not being happy with the replacement.