THERE are concerns over how Worcestershire Royal Hospital will cope once a new ‘super village’ is built on the edge of the Worcester.

Developer Welbeck Strategic Land wants to build 2,500 homes on open land between St Peter’s and Kempsey, near Norton and Whittington.

The Worcester Urban Extension also includes a hotel, shops, a primary school, a health surgery, businesses, a sports centre, parks and allotments.

The site is mostly within the Malvern Hills district, but also includes parts of Worcester City and Wychavon, and is allocated for development in the South Worcestershire Development Plan.

Speaking at St Peter’s annual parish meeting last week, Councillor Mike Johnson said the city’s concern is despite not being city residents they will look to Worcester for services.

“That usually means a bit of a problem because we won't get any income in terms of council tax,” he said.

Others were also quick to raise concerns.

Taking to Facebook, Emma Mayo said any further housing developments should be “delayed until much needed investment” into the hospital and local NHS services is available.

Kate Johns said: “Make Malvern, Kidderminster and Redditch fully functional 24-hour hospitals, with full time A&E departments and full maternity provision – which in turn would ease the volume of patients at Worcester.”

Mick Kennish-Ward said new primary and secondary schools as well as a hospital are needed – adding: “We are sick of having to take up the slack.”

"Let them all go under the Malvern umbrella, or all of them under the Worcester umbrella. Whatever way, ensure the infrastructure is put in place first before a single brick is put down,” he said.

Steve Higgs said: “Why don’t the council have an actual logical plan in place instead of doing things piecemeal?

“Roads, parking, services etc need to be sorted before going ahead with building projects and also get these developers to stump up some of the costs from their large profits.”

The planning application was originally submitted in 2013 and has been subject to intensive negotiations.