HEREFORDSHIRE'S leading opposition party has called for a public inquiry to decide whether a £25 million road can be built.

It's Our County leader, Cllr Anthony Powers, says it is "the right and proper way" to deal with the Southern Link Road planning application, adding it is too big for Herefordshire Council's Planning Committee.

A meeting to decide whether the road, set to run from the A49 near Rotherwas to the A465, can go ahead was due to be held by the committee next week but this has been cancelled to allow further discussions to take place with Historic England.

“A Public Inquiry is the right and proper way to deal with this," said Cllr Powers.

"It is way too big for the council’s planning committee.

"Herefordshire Council is the applicant and has vested interests as a landowner. It's not right for the council to give itself planning permission, so we've asked the Secretary of State to 'call in' the application.

"We want a professional planning inspector to hear and test all the evidence, from all sides, and come to an objective decision.

"That’s how the City Link Road application [running from Aylestone Hill to Edgar Street in Hereford] was dealt with, and that’s what should happen now."

It is currently unknown when the Planning Committee will hear the application but it is unlikely to be held before Christmas.

Hundreds of people have opposed the road with some objectors gathering signatures from members of the public in Hereford's High Town before delivering them to the council's planning department.

The planned road is part of a package of measures proposed to address congestion and delays in South Wye while easing access to the Hereford Enterprise Zone at Rotherwas.

The council's cabinet member for infrastructure, Cllr Philip Price, has said the route has been largely funded by the government through a successful bidding round through the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership.