A PLAN to convert a former care home into sheltered housing has been scrapped.

An application to convert the former Pals Residential Home in Ombersley Road into a house of multiple occupation (HMO), which was put forward more than a year ago, has now been withdrawn.

The building had been used to house several of the city’s rough sleepers during the coronavirus pandemic with several families saying they were living in fear having been plagued by anti-social behaviour, drunken abuse and drug dealing near their homes.

More than 60 objections were raised against the plan by neighbours in and around Ombersley Road with many drawing attention to the stream of problems they had faced throughout the year.

READ MORE: Worcester could soon see a new 12-mile 'wildlife route' created

READ MORE: Worcester's struggling families to be given meal vouchers during summer school holidays

Dozens of objectors said the area around the former care home in Ombersley Road, which is not far from probation hostel Braley House, had become rife with anti-social behaviour including loitering, swearing and shouting, as well as drug dealing and taking, begging, fighting and littering.

Neighbours said they had also faced abuse from residents and had objects thrown at them when walking past the building as well as witnessing residents urinating in doorways and kicking front doors during weekly ‘Clap for Carers’ tributes throughout the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Visits from police and the ambulance service have become a daily occurrence and sometimes happen several times a day, residents said.

The former care home closed in 2017 following a critical inspection by the Care Quality Commission after which it was handed a ‘requires improvement’ rating overall.

READ MORE: Best and worst GP surgeries in Worcester - as rated by patients

READ MORE: Worcester councillors and campaigners on Bromyard Road yellow lines fail

Management at the home faced criticism and were called inadequate by the care watchdog.

One resident in Ombersley Road had criticised the plan saying: “Last year when [the building] started to be used as an HMO there was a huge increase in anti-social behaviour - including drunken, aggressive tenants in the area, particularly the local Co-op and outside Pals itself, plus more visits from the ambulances and the police.

“Given the near proximity of Braley House, the residents of this part of Ombersley Road really do not need more anti-social behaviour and visits from the emergency services.

“If Pals becomes an HMO permanently the management of the tenants needs to be significantly better than we saw in 2020, for the sake of the families who live in the area.”