RESIDENTS have called a plan to build up to 60 homes and a new doctor's surgery in a village "unnecessary" saying the area would not be able to cope.

The homes and surgery would sit on around ten acres of land off Sandyfields next to several other developments to the west of Martley as part of plans put forward by Jessup Brothers and Citizen Housing Group.

More than 35 objections against the plan were submitted to Malvern Hills District Council during public consultation saying the village would lose its character.

One objection by a resident in Martley said: “The application is disproportionate and will damage the character and amenity of Martley village and its surrounding area even further than the existing Hopyard estate has done.

“The village lacks the infrastructure in terms of roads to cope with a significant increase in cars.

“The size of this proposed development is disproportionate to the housing need in Martley; and it will remove what is left of the rural character of the village.

"Further, existing pressures on education and health facilities will be increased.”

Half of the homes would be affordable, according to the application submitted to Malvern Hills District Council, and the new surgery would replace the existing village surgery in St Peter’s Drive.

A mix of one-bed apartments and two-to-five-bed homes has been proposed.

Up to ten self-build plots would also be set aside and the developers would pay for a new crossing outside the Chantry School as part of the work.

Another objecting villager in Martley said: "This is overdevelopment of a small rural village which has already expanded significantly in recent years with new build houses.

"There is very little employment locally meaning there is already a huge amount of traffic on country roads at peak times.

"The current road infrastructure cannot support a further increase in traffic."