A MAJOR plan to build a new community hall in Pershore has been delayed.

Pershore Town Council wanted to build a new £600,000 community hall on land next to Pershore Cemetery, off Defford Road, to accommodate the town’s growing population.

But despite the expectation the plan would be approved, councillors on Wychavon District Council's planning committee deferred the plan to allow for a site visit.

All three of Pershore's district councillors called for the plan to be deferred.

Councillor Charles Tucker said the plan was in an unsuitable location and was not a sustainable development.

He said: “Despite the consultation carried out by the council I believe there is very little public support for this proposal outside the council itself.

“The consultation reached only a small fraction of the town population and did not comply with the guidelines for public consultations adopted by Wychavon last year."

Cllr Val Wood said: “Safe access to and from the site is of considerable concern.”

She said she was “horrified” the county council’s highways department did not see any problems with entering and exiting the car park and onto the busy Defford Road.

Cllr Tony Rowley said location was the most important aspect of the application and said he could not support the plan in its current form.