ANOTHER protest has been held against plans to build hundreds of homes next to ancient woodland near Pershore with the recent flooding adding to the list of concerns.

Protecting Pershore's Woodland staged another protest outside Pershore Town Hall last Wednesday (November 13) against plans to build up to 450 homes next to Tiddesley Wood.

Angry residents streamed the exhibition as soon as doors opened at 2pm angered by the plan.

Heavy rainfall and flooding in Pershore in recent weeks has added to resident's concerns - particularly as water poured down the entrance to the site from the hill land onto the A4104.

Plans to build up to 450 homes on land off Defford Road next to ancient woodland Tiddesley Wood have been included in the latest draft review of the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP), a planning blueprint sets out where thousands of homes will be built across the county, which is currently out to public consultation.

Former district councillor Trudy Burge, speaking on behalf of the group, said: "It's interesting that the woodland Wychavon created at Stoulton in 2000 and it’s open fields surrounding it have been safely designated as green infrastructure.

"Not that for one moment I think they shouldn’t be as open fields are as important to wildlife survival as a woodland itself and Stoulton Community Woodland is a tremendous asset to our district.

"I was proud to plant trees there with my late father and children when I was a councillor and it's marvellous to see how they have flourished over the first two decades.

"However you have to see the irony that a man-made woodland of 20 years is protected yet one that has survived 6,000 years since the last Ice Age is currently under development attack from the same council."

Around 120 members of Protecting Pershore’s Woodland, an online campaign group, organised a silent protest outside the Civic Centre in Pershore before a council meeting in October in opposition to the plans.

The district council voted in favour of the ‘preferred options’ document for future development to go before the public.

A public meeting has been called by Pershore Town Council at the library in Church Street at 6.30pm on Tuesday, November 19.

The group has delivered more than 5,000 leaflets throughout Pershore urging residents to respond to the SWDP consultation.

Former councillor Val Wood said the blot on Pershore’s landscape must not be allowed and called on residents to make sure their voices were counted.

She said: “This proposed destruction of our green spaces must be stopped before it has a permanent and devastating effect on our ancient Tiddesley Wood, which is not only a triple site of special scientific interest (SSI) but has one of the greatest diversity of species in the UK.

“These will be at risk from potential noise, light and air pollution not to mention prowling pets which could destroy ground nesting birds and small mammals. This blot on our landscape must not be allowed.”