A PLAN to build a home on a site in Upper Welland has been turned down by Malvern Hills District Council.

The application had been to build the house on land off Assarts Lane, facing on to Upper Welland Road.

At the meeting of a Malvern Hills District Council committee on Wednesday, members voted to turn down the application, by Mr I Burrage, because it was out of keeping with the local Conservation Area and the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Planning consultant Ken Goodley, speaking for the applicant, said the house was planned as a retirement home, specially designed because one of the occupants has a degenerative disease.

Local member Jill Campbell said that although this application should be turned down, this should not rule out building some type of house on this site.

The application came to the committee because the land is owned by district councillor Chris O'Donnell, who took no part in the decision.