A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build a storage building on a farm rejected over fears it would ruin views of a village will now be allowed to go ahead after a government inspector overruled the council.

The plan would see the storage building built on land on land off Jennett Tree Lane in Callow End near Worcester and will be used by Grant-Smith Agricultural Partnership to store machinery and livestock feed.

It was rejected in May by Malvern Hills District Council’s planning committee but applicant Andrew Grant successfully appealed to the government's planning inspectorate to have the decision overturned.

Planning inspector Bhupinder Thandi said: "[The proposed building] would be discreetly located in a corner close to the lane and the field gate contained to a small area of the field.

"As such, it would not result in a significant encroachment into the field or the wider landscape."

Mr Grant had criticised the decision in May saying he was “concerned and disappointed” by the rejection and accused the council’s planning committee of “falling far short of what was expected of them.”

He said councillors had “totally disrespected” the system and had never given his plan a chance.

A request for the council to pay compensation was refused by the inspector.

The planning committee said it had rejected the plan because it was too big and too intrusive on the landscape. Councillors said it would harm open countryside and would be detrimental to the character of the area.

Powick councillor Tom Wells, who had ensured the plan was decided by the planning committee rather than by council officers, told councillors the reasons why it should be refused had not changed from when it was first rejected in 2018.

The planning committee voted against the recommendation of the council’s planning officers who had said it should be approved.

Eight objections were made against the plan and four more after the plans were amended and public consultation was extended.

Objectors said the size of the building was out of proportion, was unnecessary and would dominate views around the village.

However, council planning officers said the application had passed tests to show it was necessary and the building would be occupied and used if it was built.