PLANS to designate green belt land in Stourport for 85 new homes have been removed from the Wyre Forest Local Plan.

A revised version of the Local Plan, which outlines where new houses will be built in the district, is set to be agreed by cabinet members on July 16, after the council decided to reopen the consultation following complaints from statutory consultees over the transport evidence used, and from residents who did not receive leaflets advertising drop-in sessions last year.

The latest version of the plan, which will go out to consultation in September, includes updated transport modelling evidence and more information about highway improvements on the A450 to support the development of land to the east of Kidderminster.

Most of the sites allocated for residential of employment purposes remain unchanged, apart from land off Yew Tree Walk in Stourport, known locally as Patrick's Field, which has been removed from the plan after a community campaign.

It also lists Blakedown Rail Station's potential to accommodate additional car parking and some residential development.

Leader of Wyre Forest District Council, Councillor Graham Ballinger, said: "We have to re-open this consultation to make sure that our technical evidence is up to date and supports the proposals in the plan.

"We recognise that it is important to promote sustainable transport options and that Blakedown Station is on a major rail route, but does not have the infrastructure necessary to support its role in encouraging people to use the train instead of the car to access important destinations on the Snow Hill line into Birmingham.

"In order to release land to accommodate increased car parking, in line with a report commissioned by Worcestershire County Council, we are proposing a limited number of new houses which will also help in meeting future housing need in Blakedown.

"We have also listened to what residents of Stourport had to say about the allocation of land at Yew Tree Walk and agree that it would not be appropriate to bring forward this site for residential development.”

Kidderminster Shuttle:

Mike Williams, spokesman for the Friends of Patrick's Field action group, said "common sense has prevailed", and assured residents will continue fighting to protect the field and the various species which inhabit it.

He said: "We're delighted that the council has recognised the many points we made - particularly in terms of the nature conservation value of the site, the fact that it is part of an important wildlife corridor along the River Severn, and the fact that access to the site was going to be very difficult and contribute towards traffic problems on the Lickhill Estate.

"We think common sense has prevailed. The site was never viable for building upon.

"The next step is to have further discussions with the council to ideally have the land listed as some sort of nature reserve to protect it from development long-term.

"Hopefully this will restore some faith in democracy and give hope to other action groups in the area."