A PLAN to build more than 40 homes in a village rejected twice by the council following a campaign by residents could still go ahead after the developer appealed to the government to overturn the decision.

Hundreds of villagers in Rushwick near Worcester successfully fought against a plan by Custom Land Ltd to build 42 homes on land off Bransford Road more than two years ago having raised concerns about the added pressure on services the new homes would bring and bemoaning the loss of agricultural land.

Despite the opposition in the village against the homes and despite Malvern Hills District rejecting the plan, the homes could still be built if the government's planning inspector decides to overrule the council.

The appeal, which was put forward earlier this year, should be decided soon.

Malvern Hills District Council planners had rejected the plan in March 2018 because it was outside the village's development boundary in the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) and it would have impacted negatively on the character of the area.

The same plan was. put forward again by Custom Land Ltd last year and rejected for a second time by council planners in June.

Rushwick Parish Council said no new homes should be built in the village until a proper housing assessment had been carried out.

Hundreds of objections were raised against both plans include including a 400-plus petition in 2018.

The 42-home plan is one of several planned or already approved in Rushwick in recent years.

If given the go-ahead by the government, the homes could accompany another 120 planned for the edge of the village.

Lioncourt Homes wants to build a mix of one-to-four bedroom homes in Rushwick but villagers have registered more than 270 objections with Malvern Hills District Council.

Many objectors complained against the number of homes saying they were not needed and the village did not have the infrastructure to cope.