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RESIDENTS in Peachfield Road and on the Fruitlands estate have responded angrily to plans for a new access road across common land to accommodate a development of 33 new homes.

Residents have long opposed developer Landmarque Sites Ltd's plans to build the new homes on the site of the old Malvern Wells railway station, directly below the Fruitlands Estate.

Malvern Hills District Council has already received hundreds of objections concerning the scale and density of the plans, as well as drainage and the risk of flooding.

The latest twist came when the highways authority said planning permission should be refused due to restricted visibility on an existing access from Peachfield Road that had been earmarked for traffic accessing the site.

Landmarque has now submitted amended plans showing a new access road to be built over common land adjacent to Peachfield Road.

Pamela Day, of Peachfield Road, said that building the road across the common would be akin to messing with the area's heritage'.

"People here are very worried that if this goes ahead then this will set an undesirable precedent for development," she said. "This has gone beyond being a local issue, it could potentially effect the whole community, and anywhere where there is common land."

Mrs Day is also concerned that the proximity of the proposed access to an existing busy junction into Peachfield Close would make it dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.

Terry Price, of Fruitlands, said that the common land under threat should be protected for future generations of Malvern.

"It seems as though they are trying whatever means possible to get around the severe problems that exist in developing the site," he said.

Malvern Wells Parish Council held a special meeting last night (Thursday) to discuss the proposed access, while the Malvern Hills Conservators, who acquired the common land in question in 1925, will discuss it at their land management committee on Thursday, April 3.

Conservators director Ian Rowat said: "That site is identified in the local plan for housing, and the original route proposed did not impact on the common.

"Obviously this would mean taking more land from the common, which gives our organisation concerns because we are duty bound to protect the commons in Malvern."

1:25pm Wednesday 26th March 2008

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