PLANS to demolish a historic building to make room for new apartments got the thumbs down on Tuesday.

Stourport town councillors voted by nine to four to recommend refusal for the scheme, submitted by John Martyn Construction, to take down the disused Drill Hall, on Lion Hill, and extend the neighbouring house to create nine flats.

A decision from English Heritage is expected by the end of this month on whether the 100-year-old building, the last port of call in Stourport for First World War conscripts, will be spot-listed to make demolition unlikely.

However, Wyre Forest District Council will decide whether the project goes ahead.

Even though the developer has reduced the proposed number of units from 12, the project still met opposition.

The leader of the town's Labour group, Reg Knott, said: "It's a very dangerous place for access on to Lion Hill.

"We should be of a mind to look after the residents of Stourport and I think it's going to be a dangerous junction."

Party colleague, deputy mayor Vi Higgs, argued that if the two-bedroom flats generated two cars each, 18 cars - "never mind visitors" - would be coming in and out.

"What would happen if you needed the emergency services to get there and there's only one way to get in?" she asked.

Mick Grinnall, also representing Labour, claimed he could not see any "architectural merit" in the threatened building.

But he said government planning guidance encouraged high-density developments in town centres.

"Parking facilities don't come into the equation."