MORE plans have emerged to build houses on the outskirts of the city to complement dozens of proposals that will build thousands of homes in the future.
As the land for new homes in Worcester shrinks, developers are now turning to the other side of the city limits to build more homes.
With thousands of homes already planned or approved by the three South Worcestershire municipalities in and around Worcester, the city could be a whole different size in 20 years.
The two largest and most important plans envisage that at least 5,000 apartments will be built around Worcester in the future as part of “urban expansions” in the west and south of the city.
Both proposals are supported in principle by the adopted South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) and are still included in the ongoing and delayed review of the major draft plan.
The city’s first “expansion” would build more than 2,300 homes west of Dines Green and St. John’s.
Main developer Bloor Homes will build up to 1,400 homes, with Taylor Wimpey building 483 homes and Redrow building 439 homes.
After completion, the huge new building could also include a new community center, a primary school, a family doctor’s practice and a nursing home as well as shops, pubs and restaurants as well as sports and leisure facilities.
The second major proposal in the SWDP is to expand the city further south towards Broomhall and Norton, which could eventually build up to 2,600 homes.
Earlier this week a plan was presented to build 82 houses in Broomhall on Bath Road between the city and Kempsey.
The proposal is just one of several planned for thousands of homes in south Worcester, including a 255 house plan from St. Modwen south of Southern Link Road.
Rooftop Housing is still awaiting a decision by Worcester City Council on its neighboring plan to build 92 homes on the former Ketch parking lot.
The city council’s planning committee decided last month to postpone the decision on its affordable housing and sent the housing association back to the drawing board after criticizing the “miserable” design of the houses.
Persimmon has approval to build up to 300 houses between Swinesherd Way and the M5 near Spetchley and 250 houses have been or are to be built in Whittington on the opposite side of Southern Link Road.
The ongoing review of the South Worcestershire Development Plan – which was first published in 2019 but is currently experiencing significant delays due to the Covid pandemic and may not be published or passed for several years – will outline how many homes will be built in South Worcestershire by 2041.
The main proposition in the review is ambitions to build a new town of 5,000 homes near Worcestershire Parkway station.
Despite the delay in reviewing the SWDP, St Modwen announced earlier this year that it was partnering with Merton College, Oxford for a huge 240 acre project between the M5 and Worcestershire’s newest train station near Worcester, where up about 1,250 houses are to be built.
Up to 1,000 more homes could also be built in Rushwick if the new SWDP is adopted.
Huge housing developments and city expansions are not limited to just south and west of Worcester. Further apartments are planned for Claines, Bevere and the surrounding area.
Bellway has already built 128 homes on Gwillam’s Farm, which are expected to add up to 250 total homes to be built in the country in the future.
On the outskirts of the city, 65 apartments are currently being built in Hallow, and a further 55 apartments are to be approved by the city council in the near future.
The University of Worcester has approval to build 120 homes on Bromyard Road on its former University Park site and another 175 homes to be built on Bloor Homes’ neighboring property.
Another 150 houses could be built in the future by Bloor Homes in the country, with a decision from city planners expected shortly.