A FORMER hotel and healing centre in West Malvern could become a housing development if newly-submitted plans are approved.

Coxley Developments Ltd, based in Somerset, hopes to build a mixture of 15 houses and flats on the site of Runnings Park.

The hotel will be converted into seven units and a terrace is to be built to hold four two-storey dwellings.

The development will also include four subterranean units, which would be built next to an existing one in a grassy bank just below the hotel buildings.

Runnings Park is located at Croft Bank, part of the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The property was built in the 19th Century as a dairy farm. It was then converted into family dwellings, before becoming a conference centre.

In 1983, four couples turned it into a hotel and centre for health, healing and self-development, offering healing tuition from foundation to postgraduate level.

The hotel closed in April 2002, although the healing centre remained open.

David Furlong, one of the founders, said he was sorry that Runnings Park could not continue in its present form.

"I'm sad in some senses that the venture is no longer going ahead but in another way things need to move on," he said.

Those concerned about the development should make representations to Malvern Hills District Council by January 29.

Coxley Developments Ltd was unavailable for comment at time of going to press.