HUNDREDS of new homes will be built in Pershore – despite concerns that local infrastructure is not up to scratch to cope.

Plans for 260 new homes have been unanimously approved by Wychavon District Council’s planning committee.

The development, up to 40 per cent of which will be affordable homes, will be built on land west of Station Road by Welbeck Strategic Land LLP Landowners.

The site is earmarked for development in the South Worcestershire Development Plan – an emerging blueprint mapping out how the area should grow over the next 15 years.

But despite receiving the full support of the council, a number of concerns were put forward.

Derrick Watt, Pershore town councillor, urged the committee to consider two other applications for the north of Pershore that could mean about 700 new homes being built in the town in total. “The concern of the town council is that the infrastructure will not cope with this increase of vehicle movements,” he said. “The committee is asked to view all the developments as a whole.” Coun Watt also asked the committee to consider the need for a new northern link road, a project that would ease the pressure on Pinvin Crossroads.

He was backed by Pershore’s Mayor and Wychavon District Councillor Charles Tucker, who said he supported the plans in principle but warned development should not be considered in a “piecemeal fashion.”

He also raised concerns about drainage and access.

Coun David Brotheridge, Pershore’s representative on the planning committee, said as a resident living off Station Road he shared the concerns about highways and suggested that planning money from the developers could be used to improve the situation.

“I can’t see there will be any changes to this junction without the money from this development.

It is a chicken and egg to which comes first. I would like to see some of the money used for the junction at the other end of the road with the high street.”