TREES could be bulldozed to make way for seven new homes in a Worcestershire village despite councillors admitting it would be a “travesty”.
Wychavon District Council’s planning committee gave the go-ahead to plans for the housing scheme in Drakes Broughton on Thursday (October 15).
But councillors were unhappy that a habitat for wildlife at Kumasi, 61 Stonebow Road would be lost to make way for the proposed homes.
The committee approved an application for permission in principle but a second technical details plan will also need to be approved before work can get underway.
GREEN: The land was described as a “jewel” of Drakes Broughton (Image: Wychavon District Council)
At Thursday’s meeting Janet Butterworth, chair of Drakes Broughton and Wadborough Parish Council, said some of the land included in the plan is outside the village’s development boundary.
She said the scheme should be contained within this boundary and be limited to a maximum of four homes.
David Anderson, on behalf of the developer, said the “vast majority” of the site is within the development boundary and the part that sits outside of this can be used for landscaping and green infrastructure.
Councillor Liz Turier said: “Drakes Broughton has been inundated with planning applications in the last few years.
“The Drakes Broughton football teams have to go to Pinvin to play their matches as there’s no available land to buy to expand in Drakes Broughton, as it’s been sold to developers.”
Cllr Turier said wildlife including turtle doves and butterflies have also suffered because of a loss of habitats in the area.
Cllr Rob Adams said: “This is the last little green area down there. I understand it’s all overgrown”, but suggested if fewer houses were built then some of the woodland could be left for wildlife.
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“It is a shame, isn’t it, to overdevelop this area,” he added. “Stonebow Road is getting more like a rat run, I think it is a poor location.”
Cllr Charles Tucker said: “The whole of this process just demonstrates how blind the planning system is to the needs of the natural environment.
“We have here a jewel within the environment of Drakes Broughton, one of the few remaining sites which actually provides a positive biodiversity contribution to the village.”
Cllr Nick Dawkes said: “It’s a travesty to be bulldozing trees and disturbing wildlife, however, we can’t demand an ecological report at this stage.
“We can merely look at location, land use and amount – and as such, it satisfies those criteria. Luckily, we have moved the amount down a little bit.”
Cllr Emma Kearsey said the planning system “does not help us in any way” because the application is a permission in principle and it would be unlikely the technical details stage would come back before the committee.