Council challenged over housing pressure and the future of Worcester’s Green Belt

Concerns over the future of the Claines Green Belt were raised directly at Worcester City Council, as residents and councillors questioned what increased national housing expectations could mean for protected land around the city.

At the meeting, Craig Routledge spoke on behalf of a large number of concerned Worcester residents about the potential use of Green Belt land at Church Farm in Claines for a major housing development.

Mr Routledge highlighted the level of housing already planned for South Worcestershire and questioned the justification for potentially adding around 800 homes on a Green Belt site.

He also drew attention to one of the important strategic purposes of the Green Belt north of Worcester: maintaining separation between Worcester and settlements to the north, including Fernhill Heath.

He referred councillors to the March 2026 Planning Inspectors’ Report, which considered the role and purposes of the Green Belt as part of the examination of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review.

Following the public contribution, Claines councillor Jessie Jagger challenged the Leader of Worcester City Council over whether increased national housing expectations could result in political pressure to allow development on Green Belt land.

Cllr Jagger asked:

“Given the Government’s increased housing expectations for South Worcestershire, what reassurance can the Leader give residents that political pressure to meet national housing numbers will not result in the loss of Green Belt land without proper consideration of the importance that Green Belt plays for Worcester as a whole?”

In response, the Leader stressed that housing targets do not remove the requirement for proper planning scrutiny. She highlighted that housing is planned across South Worcestershire and that any future planning application would have to be considered individually through the proper planning process.

Cllr Jagger followed up by asking:

“Does the Leader acknowledge that the Green Belt in Claines is an asset of strategic importance to the whole city, and that any decision resulting in its development would have permanent consequences extending beyond the immediate site?”

The Leader did not give a view on the merits of potential development at Church Farm, explaining that she did not want to put herself in a position where she could be considered to have predetermined a future planning application. She reiterated that any application would need to be considered on its individual merits.

Cllr Jagger said:

“I completely understand why the Leader cannot prejudge a planning application that has not even been submitted yet, and I would not ask her to do so.

“But Craig’s contribution and the concerns we are hearing from residents demonstrate why this is much bigger than one potential development site.

“The Green Belt in Claines performs a function for the whole of Worcester. Once the gap between communities is developed, we cannot simply recreate it somewhere else.

“Residents are also entitled to ask why protected Green Belt land should be contemplated for hundreds of additional homes when significant housing provision has already been made through the South Worcestershire plan.”

The concerns relate to approximately 48 hectares of Green Belt land at Church Farm in Claines, which is being promoted for a potential development of around 650–800 homes.

The site remains within the Green Belt and is not allocated for development in the adopted South Worcestershire Development Plan Review. There is currently no formal planning application.

Residents have established the independent Save the Claines Green Belt community campaign, which is supported by the local Claines councillors.