PLANS for 56 new homes in a village near Malvern have been slammed by residents.

Brandon Planning and Development and Caddick Residential wants to build dozens of houses in a field on the edge of Welland near Castlemorton Common.

The plans have drawn criticism from residents who object to its potential impact on the natural environment and difficulty of access.

One Welland resident, Cyrus Davies, said the plans would harm the village and were not in the right place.

He said: "It lies in a particularly sensitive location in terms of wildlife and biodiversity, on a B-road with no bus route, and as far away from local amenities as it’s possible to be.

"Most people associate this corner of Castlemorton Common with the rare breed sheep and cattle that now roam freely here most days, so it’s hard to think of anything more incongruous than a major housing development."

The plans, prepared by Fosse Planning Ltd, are for 56 homes, of which 23 would be affordable housing.

As with several recent large plans, the developers cite the failure of Malvern Hills District Council to demostrate its five-year land supply as a reason for permission.

This is in relation to a decision by the Planning Inspectorate to award planning permission to developers in Rushwick, with the inspector saying the council did not have grounds to block it.

Among the public responses to the plan, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commisioning Group said: "The development could generate approximately 134 residents and subsequently increase demand upon existing services.

"The development would have an impact on primary healthcare provision in the area."

Mr Davies added: "I think the villagers of Welland fully understand the need for new housing provision, there’s been a significant amount of development in the village in recent years already in fact, so Welland is pulling it’s weight.

"But this is a site that the Parish Council already looked at recently under detailed Neighbourhood Plan and South Worcestershire District Plan consultations and rejected."

To see the plans and documents in full, go to plan.malvernhills.gov.uk/Planning/Display/M/22/00608/OUT