A SCHEME to build 64 homes at Droitwich Spa’s former Medals Office site will now go ahead after developers won a planning appeal.

Bovis Homes contested a decision by Wychavon District Council’s planning committee to reject the proposal for land off Worcester Road.

The authority refused approval due to concerns about the amount of amenity space available to residents and the size of the gardens for each property.

Wychavon’s planning chiefs also raised an issue with the size of the affordable housing units and felt that the council’s planning guidance had been contradicted.

However, the way is now clear for Bovis Homes to complete the construction of the housing estate after a planning inspector overturned the decision.

Keith Carnegie, Bovis Homes central region divisional chairman, said: “We’re delighted with the inspector’s decision and we’re ready to crack on with creating this quality new community at Harrison Park.

“We will continue to work with the local community as the work progresses and if anyone has any questions or comments they can post them at our dedicated Droitwich website and we will get back to them.”

The website can be found at bovishomes.co.uk/droitwich The site has been named Harrison Park after town First World War hero, Sergeant Ted Harrison, who was awarded the Military Medal for ‘conspicuous bravery and gallantry in the field’ in July 1917 before being killed in action in France.

The name was thought to be particularly appropriate as the land used to be the site of the Army Medals Office.

Giorgio Framalicco, head of housing and planning at Wychavon District Council said: "We had specific concerns with the original scheme related to the quality and amount of outdoor space for some of the houses and the overall floor space proposed for some of the affordable houses.

"Bovis Homes have since updated the plans showing small gardens for the houses we were concerned about and a communal outdoor area. The inspector felt that the size of the affordable houses was acceptable under national guidelines and this coupled with the change to the outdoor space meant that the application could go ahead.”