CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a business park on fields beside Worcestershire Royal Hospital were kicked out because of Worcester planners' fears over traffic misery along Newtown Road.

Although city council officers backed the application - for a 44,000sq m business park, with 13 offices, a pub and a creche - residents had objected and councillors have now sent the designs back to the drawing board.

The planning committee said it would rather access was off Nunnery Way than the already busy Newtown Road, and raised concerns about overspill parking in Warndon.

Under the designs, Newtown Road would have been slightly widened around the entrance to the proposed park and the turn into the hospital to cope with extra traffic. A roundabout and pedestrian crossing would have been added and a protected tree lost.

Les Bishop, of Warndon Parish Council, welcomed the decision.

He said: "It's nice that the ward and parish councillors think alike. The people living in Fry Close and Nightingale Avenue will be particularly pleased as they would have suffered the impact of the traffic."

However, a business park is almost certain to go ahead on the site adjacent to Newtown Road and Nunnery Way in the future - despite its proximity to the Worcester Woods Country Park - as the area is designated employment land.

Although other details were not discussed on Thursday, mention was made of medical companies using the site.