A DECISION on building a controversial block of student flats in St John’s has been delayed for at least a month to give a developer extra time to answer questions despite being sat in the planning meeting.

Worcester City Council’s planning committee agreed to defer a decision on a plan to build a four-storey student accommodation block off Henwick Road in St John’s at a meeting on Thursday despite being largely against the contentious work.

The committee raised several concerns about the 54 student flats, which would be built in place of the empty 144-year-old St Clement’s Church Hall, saying the building was “way too big.”

Councillors also poured scorn on the hope that the entire development would be ‘car-free’ but was eventually pushed towards holding off on making a ruling to give developer New Venture Housing enough time to answer questions.

Representatives of the developer were present at the meeting in the Guildhall but the council’s current rules bars applicants from answering questions at planning meetings unless there is an objector also speaking.

Ironically, the same planning committee gave their blessing to a series of rule changes last month – which were at least in theory designed to streamline and speed-up planning decisions – but the proposed variations to the constitution can only be made at full council meetings because they need to be voted on by all councillors.

So, while the developer was not able to answer questions posed by the planning committee at the meeting on Thursday it could do so freely at the next meeting in April if the rules are changed.

But as the changes have not yet been approved, the developer must submit more information to the council ahead of next month’s planning meeting when councillors will finally make a decision.

The committee looked to be veering towards a vote on rejecting the application outright but was swayed into delaying a decision after the council’s head of planning Duncan Rudge stepped in to say that it might be easier in the future if the committee agreed to defer.

Cllr Owen Cleary had earlier said the block of student flats was “way too big” and threw doubt on the scheme ever staying ‘car-free’ but agreed to revoke his call for the application to be rejected in favour of deferring a decision.

Mr Rudge argued that if councillors voted to reject the new student flats it would leave the developer, who could either appeal to a government planning inspector to overturn the decision or put forward a completely new plan, would be left with “no way back.”

Ahead of the meeting, planning officers at the council had recommended the move to demolish the former church hall to make way for the flats should be given the green light.