CONCERNED residents in Honeybourne said they fear a “land grab” could be taking place in the village as developers look to take advantage of a “vacuum in policy”.

Land in and around Honeybourne is currently in the sights of at least three separate housing developers each hoping to push ahead with their own medium to large scale developments at a time of a shift in planning policy.

Parish clerk John Steadman explained: “The South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP), which is currently replacing the South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy, has recommended that Honeybourne should grow by 75 houses up until 2030.

“But the SWDP has only just finished the first round of consultation. It won’t become official until 2014.

“My feeling is that these developers are jumping into a vacuum in policy and trying to muscle in on the land. We are getting over-run with developers.

“It’s stirred the village up and it’s become a very emotive subject here. Lots of people are getting very wound up by it.”

The Journal has already reported how residents are divided over Sharba Homes’ proposal to develop a traditional sheep auction site off Station Road with 48 homes.

A second developer, Lioncourt Homes, last month submitted an outline planning application for up to 70 homes, together with a small scale business development, on land between Station Road and Dudley Road.

And on Tuesday a third developer, Framptons, gave a presentation to the parish council about a separate 60-70 home development on land off Harvard Avenue.

Sam Boulter has lived in Honeybourne for 59 years. He said: “These developers are pushing to get to the front of the queue and will turn this village into a town. It looks like a land grab and it’s worrying because it will change the character of Honeybourne forever.”

Sharba Homes, Lioncourt Homes and Framptons have all denied that they are looking to take advantage of the shift in planning policy.

Andy Faizey, strategic land director at Lioncourt, said: “Wychavon has an acknowledged housing shortfall and a recent survey by Honeybourne Parish Council revealed most residents voted for our site as their first choice for development in the village.”

While a spokesman from Sharba Homes said: "Sharba is not taking advantage of the shift in planning policy, they are in fact responding to an identified need for new homes in the area – indeed the Parish Council themselves have noted that the village must contribute toward this and that it is a matter of 'where' not 'if' the housing should be provided.

"The policy under which Sharba are proposing their development to meet this need is the existing PPS3, not the emerging policy."