PLANS to build hundreds of new homes throughout the Malvern Hills will be sent for public consultation after councillors voted to approve them.

The decision to approve the plans came at the full meeting of Malvern Hills District Council on October 29, where councillors discussed the 'preferred options' for the South Worcestershire Development plan, which will see more than 14,000 homes build across the south of the county.

Councillor David Harrison introduced the motion to approve the plans and move to public consultation, saying: "There are items in this plan that some councillors do not like, and that members of the public do not like, but we have to stop unplanned development.

"We must have a plan and this is just one stage, sending the plan for public consultation.

"There will be amendments made to the plan as there will be well over 2,500 responses from various people and I commend that."

Councillor David Chambers said any plans approved should be sustainable and with a long term view to the future of the area.

He said: "This plan takes us to 2041, but the decisions we are going to take now should be not just be for then but for the next part of the century.

"What we decide now will have repercussions for years to come."

Councillors voted to approve the plans for development, and a public consultation will be launched running from November 4 to allow the public to have their say on the plans.

The new proposals for the South Worcestershire Development Plan sees an allocation for 880 homes in Malvern itself, with a further 390 in villages across the district to be built by 2041.

The plans also include 55 acres of employment land in Malvern Hills in addition to 400 homes at Cales Farm, North Malvern, 198 on two sites off Madresfield Road, and 180 to the south of Guarlford Road.