A PLAN to build 40 homes on the edge of Worcester was approved by councillors.

An application for the homes on land between Sling Lane and the Old Drive off Droitwich Road on the eastern edge of Fernhill Heath received the backing of Wychavon District Council’s planning committee at a meeting on Thursday (January 10).

In line with the district council's policy, around 40 per cent should be affordable homes.

The 2.3 hectare site is bordered by the A38 to the north and the grade II-listed Fernhill House and Hindlip House are nearby. Homes have already been built to the west and a number of fields border the site to the south.

The housing development will be accessed from Droitwich Road and will be made up of a mixture of one to four-bedroom houses and bungalows. Around 1 hectare of green space is also included.

Councillor Tony Miller, who represents Lovett and North Claines on the district council, said: “When the final plan comes in, I hope that we are not going to see all the social housing backing up to the existing housing that is there.

Cllr Miller said he hoped the homes were built a “sympathetic distance” away from existing housing.

He said: “It’s quite awkward for me because [the plan] is beyond the development boundary.

“I realise that this was in the South Worcestershire Development Plan so there’s no reason for refusal.

“What we’ve got to make sure is the final layout is correct and respects the developments that are already there.

“It may be of benefit to the people in Sling Lane that the sewage system is going in.”

Cllr Keith Wright said: “Everything has been stretched a little bit, which isn’t necessarily a major problem, it would just be nice to see if they [the developer] are going to stretch the plan both in size and in density it would be nice to have a couple of bungalows I would have thought.”

During consultation, 11 objections were made to the plan.

North Claines Parish Council did not object.

The application was approved by 13 votes to zero with one abstention.