RESIDENTS have voted in favour of plans for the biggest permit parking scheme in the city.

More than 700 people voted for the scheme, which covers the Arboretum area of the city.

County councillor Matthew Jenkins said the scheme will stop the area from being used as a free car park for the city centre.

He added: "People have talked about an Arboretum parking scheme for about 30 years. Now it's definitely going to happen.

"There were 709 votes in favour and 33 against. Just under 61 per cent of people returned their voting slips.

"We had to have over 50 per cent returned - and of those returns over 80 per cent had to be in favour of the plan.

"It will be the biggest parking scheme in Worcester by a long way."

READ: Our story on how the parking scheme doubled in size.

The votes had to be returned by March 4 and Cllr Jenkins found out about the result on March 7.

He thanked the Arboretum Residents' Association for helping him to deliver voting slips to the 1,220 homes on the affected streets.

The councillor added: "We would knock on their doors and if someone was in we would hand a slip to them.

"Sometimes people were happy to sign it when we handed it over, or they would post it back, or we would collect it."

The councillor will now meet with a county council officer to thrash out the detail of the scheme, including whether certain streets should have visitor bays.

The subsequent plan will then go out for consultation.

Cllr Jenkins expects the scheme to be in place by the end of October.

READ: Our original story on Cllr Jenkins calling for a permit scheme.

Residents will have to buy permits to park in Arboretum Road, Barry Street, Chestnut Street, Chestnut Walk, East Street, Flag Meadow Walk, Lansdowne Road, Lansdowne Street, Lansdowne Terrace, Little Chestnut Street, Little Southfield Street, Lowell Street, Lower Chestnut Street, Middle Street, Northfield Street, Sansome Walk, Shrubbery Avenue, Shrubbery Road, Southfield Street, St Georges Lane North, Tennis Walk, Washington Street, Westbury Street, White Ladies Walk, Wolverton Road and Wood Terrace.