CAMPAIGNERS have restarted a petition against the construction of holiday lodges in a local wood, after raising almost 1,600 signatures during the last campaign.

The Three Counties Agricultural Society has resubmitted plans to build accommodation in Langdale Wood, on Blackmore Park Road, near Malvern.

However the charity has cut the number of proposed lodges from 50 to 40 and reduced the size of the planned reception building.

Opponents have set up a new petition against the development, claiming it will put wildlife and businesses at risk.

Sharon Taylor, founder of the Save Langdale Wood campaign group, said: "We are urging our Facebook page supporters to write in again against the new proposals as our previous objections still stand.

"These include the effect on local B&Bs and hotel providers, who are struggling anyway, and the serious dangers along Blackmore Park Road that is already gridlocked at showtime.

"The wood is supposed to be protected under the South Worcestershire Development Plan due to its wildlife."

Ms Taylor also hit out at the charity for keeping the woodland shut to the public, following the rejection of the last application.

The previous proposal sparked debate among Malvern Gazette readers, with many writing to the paper to share their thoughts.

The Save Langdale Wood group organised meetings to discuss the application and campaigned to stop it. 

Protesters applauded when the scheme was rejected at the Malvern Hills District Council southern area planning committee meeting in January.

Clive Hooper, chair of Malvern Civic Society, said: "There would be ten fewer lodges, but all the environmental arguments which the civic society and local residents have made concerning the previous failed application still apply.

"We still contend that there are other areas within the Three Counties Showground site where such a development could take place without the serious environmental impact which would occur if the lodges were built in Langdale Wood."

A spokesman for the Three Counties Agricultural Society said: "The reasons for refusal were the quantum of lodges and the size and scale of the reception building.

"We have therefore addressed these by reducing the quantum of lodges by 20 per cent to 40, and reduced the size of the reception building by about 50 per cent to that of a regular woodland lodge.

"We are hoping for a favourable outcome to our resubmitted application to secure the long-term future of the Three Counties Agricultural Society."

Malvern Hills District Council's southern area planning committee rejected the society's last application, despite council officers recommending approval for the application.

To sign the online petition against the development visit http://bit.ly/2pw5ncW