Barberry Developments, Persimmon Homes and Exeter College are beginning public consultations over plans to create a new village community of up to 800 new homes in Worcestershire.

Local residents have been invited to view plans for the Yew Tree Village development in Droitwich Spa and discuss the scheme with planners and company representatives.

Barberry director Martyn Cartwright said Yew Tree Village would address the growing demand for new homes in the Droitwich area. The 44 hectare site will include 14.4 hectares of open space.

Proposals for the site, which is surrounded by existing housing, include:

• Around 800 new dwellings

• An extra care facility of up to 200 units

• Substantial areas of Public Open Space providing recreation areas, formal play areas and ecological networks that are accessible to all

• Sustainable transport links

• Integration of foot and cycle paths (new and proposed) with green space

• Sustainable Urban Drainage systems to manage surface water run off

• Allotments

• Community orchard

• Adventure play area

The primary vehicular access to the site will be from two points on Pulley Lane. The scheme has been designed to allow bus access into the site by re-opening and improving the junction of Newland Road with Primsland Way for a pedestrian/cycle and bus only link.

The development aims to promote and implement sustainable living and high quality design that is specific to the site and the surrounding context. The main design objectives are:

• Enable the provision of community facilities.

• Create a series of linked high quality public open spaces.

• Integrate the development and landscape.

• Prioritise and encourage sustainable forms of transport, including a range of improvements to local transport facilities, which provide an opportunity for reducing car use.

• Reduce opportunities for crime and the fear of crime and encourage community identity and pride.

• Retain and enhance wildlife.

Mr Cartwright said: "The site offers an excellent opportunity to create a vibrant new addition to the existing community, with a carbon footprint that is minimised, and by helping to create a quality of life that is exceptional. Yew Tree Village will have homes for people at all stages of life along with health facilities, local shops and a generous amount of high quality public open space to create a new village community.

"Barton Willmore are master planners and they will be delivering the public consultation exercise, inviting questions from local residents. We have also carried out a leaflet drop with a comments form, set up an email address inviting comments, and launched a Yew Tree Village website.

"We are aware that with housing schemes of this nature it isn't possible to please everybody. However, we believe this is an excellent development and it will greatly enhance the current housing provision in Droitwich where we believe there are more than 3,000 people on the social housing waiting list."

Barberry, Exeter College and Persimmon Homes propose to carry out a comprehensive development of the site and have appointed Barton Willmore as consultants to prepare the masterplan. The development aims to promote and implement sustainable living to create a high quality residential/care home scheme that is specific to the site and the surrounding context. The masterplan will be the subject of an application for outline planning permission shortly.

The first phase of public consultations is due to take place at Droitwich Spa Community Hall, Heritage Way, Droitwich Spa, on Friday 18th February, 1.00pm to 6.00pm, and Saturday 19th February, 10.00am to 2.00pm.