Village residents speak out over development (From Evesham Journal)

Village residents speak out over development

2:51pm Wednesday 4th July 2012 in News By Freya Leng

BRETFORTON residents have taken matters into their own hands to speak out about potential development in the village.

At a meeting held in the village hall on Friday (29) residents voted in favour of forming a Community Interest Group so their views on development can be better represented.

Residents were concerned that their views on housing development in the area were being ignored by the South Worcestershire Development Plan and Wychavon Council planners.

They feel there could be an “invasion of developers” after plans for a 48 houses were proposed for the “best horticultural field” in the village.

David Johnson, who lives next to the proposed housing estate, called the meeting to see how residents felt about the plans.

“No-one is against having new housing to meet the needs of the village over coming years,” he said.

“But what is being put forward is too dense, too focused on one site and ignores what people who live in the village said when the housing allocation consultation meeting was held.”

Former Parish Councillor Hazel Mitchell said that the news that the housing allocation quota, was to be exceeded was “a bombshell.”

But Councillor Judy Pearce, Board member for Planning and Housing at Wychavon, said a consultation on the latest changes to the South Worcestershire Development Plan should give residents the opportunity to have their say.

She said: “If agreed, this will give residents the opportunity to let us know their views on anything that is new or has changed to the plan."