A campaign group are "delighted" after councillors voted unanimously against plans for a new housing estate in Redditch. 

Members of the North Redditch Communities Alliance (NoRCA) said the outcome was in the "best interests of the community" as the planning committee rejected plans to build 214 new homes. 

The dwellings were set to be built by David Wilson Homes on parts of Abbey Park Golf Club and land west of Hither Green. 

The plans were rejected at a planning committee meeting on Wednesday (March 20) which lasted for almost four hours. 

After the meeting, the Chairman of NoRCA, Mark Jacobs, said: "We are delighted with the outcome and thank the committee for its unanimous rejection of the application which is in the best interest of the community not only today but in the longer term. 

"Throughout the long campaign stretching back to December 2021, we were quite confident that we had established a compelling case opposing the application which we considered to have many flaws. 

"We are extremely grateful for the wonderful support we received from our elected representatives from across the political spectrum. It illustrates what can be achieved when a community comes together." 

Redditch Advertiser: The meeting was full of people The meeting was full of people (Image: NoRCA)

NoRCA was supported at the meeting by nine speakers, including councillors, who each took two minutes of speaking time to voice their objections to the plans. 

The objectors raised a number of concerns including the loss of green, increased traffic to the area and the pressure the new builds could have on GP services and other infrastructure in the town. 

A team from David Wilson Homes representing the developer also had a chance to speak in favour of the development and read out a letter from the owners of the golf course which outlined the proposed benefits to the business and wider community. 

After almost four hours of deliberation, councillors voted unanimously against the plans which was met with applause from the residents. 

In response to the decision, a spokesperson for David Wilson Homes Mercia said: "We are disappointed that our planning application for 214 homes in Redditch has been refused.

"The development would bring a wide range of benefits to the town, including £5 million invested in the area, the creation of new, publicly accessible green open spaces, a new play area, footways and cycleways and jobs for local people, in addition to 66 affordable homes to meet the demand for housing."