CONTROVERSIAL proposals for a gipsy site at a small village between Malvern and Powick will be going before a planning inspector later this month.

An application by Edward Smith to site touring caravans on a field between the A449 dual carriageway and the old Worcester Road at Bastonford was thrown out by Malvern Hills District Council last October.

Members unanimously rejected the application for a number of reasons, including concerns about estate traffic turning on and off the main Malvern- Worcester road, and also because the site would intrude on the landscape and would significantly increase the size of the hamlet. But Mr Smith appealed against the refusal and his appeal will be heard on Tuesday, January 24, at Powick Village Hall. The travellers moved onto the land in May, and Malvern Hills District Council subsequently issued an enforcement notice ordering them off the site.

“They appealed against it and this month’s hearing will be deciding on that alongside the planning appeal.

District councillor Tom Wells said: “I’m delighted that the hearing will be held in Powick, where local residents can hear the proceedings.

“Most of the residents of Bastonford made representations about the original planning applications.

“I am sure they will have written to the Planning Inspectorate about this appeal. Bastonford is a hamlet with only 48 residents and there are 19 residents on this site.

“My own feeling is that we already have two gipsy sites in the parish and that is about enough.”

The existing sites are at the junction of the A449 and Hawthorn Lane, and at Bransford.

The hearing will be conducted by planning inspector V F Ammoun.

It starts at 10am and is scheduled to last one day.