Flood fears fail to halt housing plans - The Malvern Observer

Flood fears fail to halt housing plans

Malvern Editorial 27th Feb, 2014 Updated: 20th Oct, 2016   0

A PLANNING bid for 63 homes in Poolbrook has been given the green light despite concerns the land in question has a high risk of flooding.

The district council Southern Area Development Management Committee approved the first of two proposals from W J Bullock and Partners last week.

The board was shown evidence on the night by council officers a large part to the south of the site had a high risk of flooding ‘once every 30 years’. As a result the location of the homes has been shifted to the north of the site where there is a similar risk of flooding however officers assured drainage engineers were working on a solution.

Nick Dean argued against the plans on behalf of the Poolbrook Residents Action Group which had lodged more than 60 letters of objection to the development.




He said the council could hire a consultant for as ‘cheap as chips’ who would produce a one line report stating that the site was unsuitable due to flood issues.

Mr Dean added: “This site will flood, and this proposal will flood us.”


Coun Melanie Baker, sitting on the committee and a ward member for the Chase, moved to accept the plan claiming a Government inspector would likely overturn any decision to refuse it. She called for a robust drainage analysis to be carried out by the time the committee had to make a decision on more detailed designs.

Controversy surrounded the fact Bullock had entered two near identical sets of plans for the site south of Guarlford Road, one with access off Mill Lane and another which would be accessed directly from Charlock Road.

Coun Jill Campbell suspected the unorthodox approach was a ploy from the developer to avoid upgrading Mill Lane if there was a cheaper alternative.

“I suspect they are looking at the cost of the access. The cost of putting in a new road and adapting it would be considerably more than opening up a fence and putting a bit of tarmac down.”

The committee voted in favour of the proposal for the homes to be accessed from Mill Lane but chose to refer the second set of plans to the full council planning committee.

Council officers said if both were approved the developer would have to nominate which one to proceed with. But Coun Brian Pilcher said the Malvern Hills Conservators would not permit the land to be released for the development of Mill Lane if there was an alternative option.

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