PERSHORE residents have been condemned to a ‘traffic nightmare’ after planning chiefs rejected calls to amend an application for 86 new homes off Station Road.
Coun Charles Tucker made the claim after a meeting of Wychavon District Council’s planning committee last Thursday (March 5) approved the application by Persimmon Homes.
Planning chiefs gave the proposal the green light despite calls for the application to be deferred for discussions about leaving space in the development for a future relief road.
But members of the committee approved the plans which will see 86 new homes, a new junction opposite Wyre Road and a tree planting and vegetation belt around the boundary.
The decision provoked angry scenes in the council chamber with a number of residents shouting and booing after the decision was made.
Speaking after the meeting, Coun Tucker said: “The decision to approve the Persimmon application without preserving a corridor for a future relief road will condemn residents of Station Road to growing traffic jams and a future nightmare on Station Road.
“This decision, far from preserving a route for a relief road, effectively kills it off.
“Nobody in Pershore believes the developer’s flimsy story that their plans don’t preclude a future road.
“Who would go in and demolish houses to build the road?
“Why should it have to destroy an established wood when a simple change of layout now could have minimised the impact on the estate, and maximised the benefit for Pershore.” he added.
During the meeting concerns were raised on whether traffic could be managed efficiently along the site of the homes.
Coun Tony Rowley, Mayor of Pershore, said: “Sadly this won’t reduce traffic, especially at the junction where problems of congestion could lead to disastrous scenarios.
“It could have been relocated to a different area, were just concerned over the relief road and future construction.”
But a number of councillors said the corridor and the relief road were not to be considered as there were no plans for them in any existing proposals.
Coun Val Wood, said: “The outline permission with access was granted in May.
Until recently there was no mention of a relief road probably because this has not been discussed since 1992.
She said provision had been made for a future road on the site with green space which could be removed in future plans were approved.
