A SCHEME to develop a new estate on land in the Northwick area of Worcester should be turned down, city planners said this week.

The plan to build 62 homes on land at Old Northwick Farm was submitted by Bristol-based developer Stonewater at the start of the year.

Previous planning applications to build 52 homes on the same site were approved in June last year and in October 2015 by Worcester City Council.

But yesterday, members of the same council’s planning committee voted 8-1 to reject the latest plan, citing worries about flooding of the site and about future residents of the homes being socially isolated.

The applicant says that all the homes would be affordable, with 15 shared ownership units, 30 affordable rent units and 17 rent-to-buy units.

The estate is envisaged to feature a mix of housing types, including detached, semi-detached, maisonettes and bungalows.

The proposed layout has been modified to reflect the different size and scale of the proposals; a larger number of smaller houses with open parking in private driveways - as opposed to large detached homes and garages.

At the planning committee meeting, members of the public and councillors alike voiced their fears about the possible impact of the proposed development.

Cllr James Stanley, who represents the Claines ward, where the site is located, said: “The local residents have suffered anxiety over the prospect of development on this site for many years now.

“Sustainability is causing many concerns, public transport is lacking and the nearest GP surgery is already oversubscribed.

“It would not be possible to commute by public transport to key employment sites in the city.

Fellow ward councillor Andy Stafford said: “Flooding has been the main bone of contention for local residents and there is a strong feeling that this site is not suitable for housing.”

Cllr Ceri Stalker said: “If it is approved, we will see an increase in the local population of about 200 people, and the services they need simply don’t seem to be there. If the services are not there, we’ll end up with an unhappy community.”

The committee’s decision is that they are “minded to refuse” the plan. This means that the scheme will reappear at a subsequent committee meeting to be discussed in more depth by council members and officers.