Council warns new homes plan endangers children’s safety

Councillors have expressed concerns that the approval of a proposal for 95 new residences in Badsey village could jeopardize the safety of children traveling to school. Badsey Parish councillors also indicated that the proposed housing development would exacerbate existing traffic congestion issues on nearby roads. Wychavon District Council’s planning committee is scheduled to vote on Thursday regarding the plans to construct these homes off Birmingham Road, alongside existing worries about the local school’s ability to accommodate additional students. Bloor Homes, the developer, asserts that the project, situated on several fields encompassing nearly six hectares (14.8 acre) of farmland, aims to alleviate housing shortages in the region. Conversely, the parish councillors contend that there would be “no safe walking or cycle route for children to get to school”. Furthermore, they noted that the proposed entrance to the site from Birmingham Road is located on a heavily trafficked lorry route, which would complicate residents’ egress from the development. The councillors further questioned, “How will pupils get to school? More car journeys would add to the already congested roads and centre of Badsey,”. They additionally stated that the location is within open countryside, beyond the village’s developed zone, and would constitute “urban sprawl rather than sustainable development”. Worcestershire Children’s First, a family support service, has also registered an objection to the proposed plan. The service indicated that Badsey First School presently lacks adequate capacity to accommodate the additional children that the development would introduce. Worcestershire Highways stipulated that should the development proceed, Bloor Homes would be responsible for covering the expenses of extending the 30mph speed limit section of Birmingham Road to encompass the site’s entrance. The department affirmed that, provided all its conditions were satisfied, the proposal would not worsen current highway safety concerns. Further suggested enhancements comprise a shared footpath and cycle path along the eastern side of Birmingham Road, as well as a signal-controlled pedestrian crossing on Bretforton Road. The developers highlighted that other significant housing projects are currently in progress within Badsey. Bloor is pursuing outline planning permission, with the vote scheduled for Thursday; if granted, the company will be required to submit more comprehensive plans to secure final approval prior to commencing construction. This report was compiled by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which reports on local government bodies and other public service entities. For further updates, follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.