A PLAN to build more affordable homes on green space in Malvern was rejected.

Malvern Hills District Council rejected a Fortis plan to build 23 homes on land off Pickersleigh Grove in Malvern to go alongside 92 already-approved homes which are nearing completion.

A planning report, which set out the council's rejection, said allowing the extra homes would affect the town's "green heart."

The report said: "The development of the site would adversely affect the spaciousness of the town’s 'green heart', reduce accessibility to open space of an informal rural nature and harm green infrastructure connectivity."

Several objections to building the homes had been raised during public consultation.

Jill Tibble of Meadow Road said: "I was not in favour of the new housing which replaced the Pickersleigh Grove post-war housing and I am not in favour of this new proposed housing development on the same grounds; we need to preserve green areas for wildlife of all sorts.

"Until this new housing appeared, there was a sizeable "corridor" linking green areas in this area.

"Since the building work commenced a year and a half ago, there have been noticeably fewer birds and animals in our garden, and by building yet more houses, wildlife will suffer even further.

"The fact that the area in question does not have any public right of way across it makes it an even more important area for biodiversity."

Fortis had said that whilst green land should be protected where possible, it was outweighed by the need for more affordable housing in Malvern and was in a good location next to already-approved homes.

The neighbouring plan, also by Fortis, to demolish the existing buildings and build 92 homes was approved by council planners in 2014.

The old homes, which were built in the 1950s, were demolished in 2016 but work did not begin until August 2018.