A FARMER whose application for an access road made national headlines has again seen his plans rejected by the council.

Carl Powell has repeatedly applied to Wychavon District Council asking to be allowed to build an access road across his land at Stone Arrow Farm in Peopleton.

His applications keep being refused, however, including his most recent one.

We reported earlier this year how Mr Powell had put up a sign calling Peopleton the "nastiest village in Worcestershire" after an earlier application was rejected.

Since then, he was charged with a public order offence over the sign, eventually hailing "common sense" after the police dropped all charges.

In his most recent application, Mr Powell said the land he wants to build across is unused agricultural land and that permission should be given.

One response from a neighbour said there was no justification for such an access path, given the land is not used for anything.

The neighbour, who did not put their name on the representation, said: "The proposed entrance would open onto a 60mph road leading into Peopleton, which has long been an issue with speeding cars.

"Therefore to have any vehicles, let alone slow moving agricultural vehicles, pulling out onto it would have a serious impact on highway safety.

"Further, the work has already been started by the applicant, without prior permission, and no planning notice has been seen at the location.

"There is no agricultural justification for the track and permission should therefore be refused."

Another response, this time from Peopleton parish councillor Lisa Cope, said the access road would be both unnecessary and inappropriate for the 60mph road just off-site.

She wrote: "There are already three access points to the land in question; we do not consider another access point is necessary, especially as the volume of traffic on the current track from the village is small.

"The proposed track would join a 60 miles per hour highway where there are already concerns regarding speeding.

"We are concerned that slow-moving vehicles would be turning onto the road and could prove a safety issue.

"The Parish Council have already been in contact with Police to express our concerns about safety on this stretch of road."

Councillors voted to recommend refusal of Mr Powell's application at their September planning meeting.