Plan to build 100 homes on traveller site in Cleeve Prior

Malvern Homes want permission for up to 100 homes at Wayside Caravan Park in Evesham Road, Cleeve Prior.

An application for outline planning permission has been submitted to Wychavon District Council.

The site has historically been home to a number of gypsy and traveller families.

Indicative plans for the site (Image: RCA Regeneration)

According to planning documents, the majority of residents have left the site and agreed to sell their ‘pitch’ on the site to Malvern Homes.

“Though a small number of individuals ‘pitches’ are not included within the current application, it is expected they will follow through in a later phase,” the application’s planning statement says.

The developer says parts of the site are in poor condition and that the process of acquiring the land has been complex.

The plans appear to have split opinion among villagers.

Some say Cleeve Prior isn’t big enough to cope with so many new homes, with RJ Stanley saying the development would “change the village beyond recognition”.

There are concerns that Cleeve Prior doesn’t have the amenities to support so many additional families and that traffic problems in the area will be made worse.

Louise Conneeley suggested the site “be cleaned up and returned to green belt”. In planning documents, it is described as a brownfield site.

But others have written to the council to support the application.

George Smith said: “It would be an improvement on the current site, which is an absolute eyesore and disgrace, and it would help with the housing crisis.”

Monty Davies said: “ I have owned land at this location for a number of years and this has been the only glimmer of hope I have seen in that time to help benefit the land I own and help people in the community.”

Cleeve Prior Parish Council says it would prefer the site to be developed than for it to remain in its current state.

* A previous version of this story referred to the plans being for up to 114 homes. The outline proposal has been revised and is now for up to 100 dwellings.