A PLAN to build homes on a former gas works on the northern edge of Malvern should not be allowed to go ahead, say councillors.

Developer Jessup wants to build 18 houses on the mainly-disused site off Lower Howsell Road.

The site was originally a gas works supplying Malvern. More recently, it has been used as a gas distribution and maintenance depot.

Two areas of land have been retained by National Grid for its operations but the company has sold the rest of the site to the applicant.

At a meeting of Malvern Town council's operations and planning committee, members voided fears that the access to the site is completely unsuitable.

Link ward member Neville Mills said: "I don't know how many of you know Lower Howsell Road, but at this point, it is just about wide enough for two cars.

"The bridge over the railway creates a blind area as seen from both sides, and the entrance to the old gas works is right within that blind area on the western side of the bridge."

Fellow ward member Ian Hopwood said: "18 houses will mean 36 cars, and that will mean something like 70 movements a day in and out of this entrance right by the hump-back bridge. This is simply in the wrong place."

Members voted seven to zero with one abstention to recommend refusal.

Fear over the access were also expressed by Link resident Nicholas Bottomley, who has written to Malvern Hills District Council saying that Lower Howsell Road is "a series of dangerous bends, cars speeding and literally flying over the bridge both ways. this is supposed to be a 30 mph limit. I would like to see the application turned down."