Worcestershire
Planning & Building Contacts

WCC as lead local flood authority (LLFA) has a statutory role in managing surface water and ordinary watercourse flood risk. SUDs (sustainable drainage systems) approval for major development requires WCC LLFA consent. As highways authority WCC must be consulted on all development with transport implications on the county road network. The Worcestershire Historic Environment Record is held by WCC.

Bromsgrove District is heavily constrained by the West Midlands Green Belt to the north and west. The Lickey Hills Country Park - open heathland on the edge of Birmingham - is a SSSI and Local Nature Reserve. Bromsgrove shares a joint planning service with Redditch Borough Council. The district's proximity to the Birmingham conurbation means development is driven by housing overspill demand.

Malvern Hills DC shares a planning and regulatory service with Worcester City Council. The Malvern Hills National Landscape covers a substantial part of the district and is a strong constraint on development. Great Malvern's Victorian spa town character - with its distinctive geology, priory church and hilltop setting - is protected by conservation area designation and numerous listed buildings. Development on the Malvern Hills ridge itself is extremely restricted.

Redditch was designated a New Town in 1964 and its planned residential character - with the distinctive Arrow Valley and lake park at its heart - informs design expectations. The Redditch Development Corporation heritage, including the planned neighbourhood structure, is beginning to attract architectural conservation interest. Redditch shares a joint planning and regulatory service with Bromsgrove District Council.

Worcester city centre sits on the River Severn, which carries extreme flood risk through the historic core - including the Cathedral area, the Racecourse and the riverside. Large parts of Worcester city centre are Flood Zone 3. Development along the river frontage requires detailed Flood Risk Assessment and the Environment Agency's sequential and exceptions tests apply. Worcester Cathedral (Grade I) dominates the skyline and its setting is protected across a wide arc. Worcester shares a joint planning and regulatory service with Malvern Hills District Council.

Wychavon contains some of Worcestershire's most historic and attractive countryside. Broadway is one of the most visited Cotswold villages - within the Cotswolds National Landscape - and its conservation area is subject to very restrictive planning policy. Droitwich Spa's brine and salt heritage includes underground salt workings which affect ground conditions and development potential. The Vale of Evesham is internationally important productive horticultural land where agricultural land quality is a major planning consideration.

Bewdley is a fine Georgian riverside town (Grade II Conservation Area) on the River Severn with significant flood risk. Stourport-on-Severn is also flood-prone where the Stour meets the Severn. Kidderminster town centre has significant regeneration opportunities from its carpet industry legacy. The Wyre Forest itself - one of England's largest ancient oak woodlands - is a SSSI and National Nature Reserve adjoining the district boundary.

Worcester City and Malvern Hills share a joint planning and regulatory service (01905 722233). Bromsgrove and Redditch share a joint building control service (01527 873232). Wychavon (01386 565000) and Wyre Forest (01562 732928) each operate their own services. Registered Building Control Approvers (private inspectors) operate across all districts and are frequently used on commercial and larger residential schemes.

Worcestershire's heritage ranges from medieval moated sites and tithe barns to Georgian spa towns and Victorian industrial buildings. Key Grade I assets consulted on by Historic England include Worcester Cathedral, the Commandery, Harvington Hall (recusant priest holes), Hanbury Hall and Witley Court. The Droitwich Canal and River Salwarpe have heritage significance related to salt extraction, which dates to prehistoric times.

Worcester Cathedral's tower is a landmark visible across the surrounding countryside and the River Severn. Development affecting its setting - including building heights in the city centre and riverside - is controlled through the Worcester City Local Plan and Historic England guidance on the setting of listed buildings. The cathedral close, chapter house and cloister are individually scheduled.

Witley Court is one of England's most dramatic ruined mansions - gutted by fire in 1937 and left as a spectacular shell. The registered historic park and garden (Grade II*) surrounding it is managed by English Heritage. The adjacent Great Witley church is a rare baroque interior of exceptional quality (Grade I listed). Development in the vicinity requires Malvern Hills DC and Historic England consultation.

Hanbury Hall's registered historic park (Grade II*) and setting are protected across a wide area of north Worcestershire. The Droitwich area's underground salt workings extend across much of the surrounding landscape and can affect ground stability for new development - specialist ground investigation is standard practice in Droitwich and surrounding parishes.

The River Severn carries some of the most severe flood risk in England. Worcestershire has experienced devastating Severn floods in 1998, 2000, 2007, 2020 and 2024. Worcester city centre, Upton upon Severn, Bewdley, Stourport and Evesham all have extensive Flood Zone 3 areas. Development in or near flood risk zones requires a comprehensive Flood Risk Assessment (FRA), EA sequential test and - for vulnerable uses - the exceptions test. The Environment Agency's strategic flood risk mapping should be checked at the pre-application stage for all Worcestershire riverside sites.

The Wyre Forest NNR is a large ancient oak woodland straddling the Worcestershire-Shropshire border. The Malvern Hills are a SSSI, National Nature Reserve and National Landscape - a very significant multiple designation protecting the ridge and its setting. Hartlebury Common SSSI (heathland near Stourport) is managed by Worcestershire County Council. Great crested newts, dormice, white-clawed crayfish and otters are frequently encountered in Worcestershire ecological surveys.

The Malvern Hills National Landscape Authority manages the conservation and enhancement of the Malvern Hills and their setting. Development within or affecting the setting of the National Landscape requires NPPF paragraph 182 tests. The Authority is a statutory consultee for relevant planning applications in both Malvern Hills District and the adjoining Herefordshire and Worcestershire boundary areas.

Parts of western Worcestershire (around Tenbury Wells and the Teme Valley) may be served by Welsh Water (Dwr Cymru) rather than Severn Trent. Developers should confirm the water undertaker for their specific site using the DEFRA drainage maps. Given Worcestershire's flood history, connection to the public sewer during major flood events is a known risk - developers in flood zones are advised to address sewer resilience in drainage strategies.

Parts of western Worcestershire may be served by Wales & West Utilities (0800 912 1700) rather than Cadent. Developers should confirm the gas distribution network operator for their specific site via the Find My Supplier tool on the SGN/Cadent/Wales & West websites.

The M5 runs north-south through Worcestershire. The A38 dual carriageway bypasses Worcester city and is a National Highways trunk road. The M42 in north Worcestershire at the Bromsgrove junction is a key interchange. Development generating significant additional traffic on these routes requires a Transport Assessment with National Highways statutory consultation.

Croome is Capability Brown's first complete landscape commission and one of his finest. The Grade I registered park covers a very large area of the Severn flood plain south of Worcester. Development affecting the setting of Croome, or within the registered parkland boundary, requires Wychavon DC heritage team and Historic England consultation.

The former RAF Defford site near Upton upon Severn houses GCHQ-related telecommunications infrastructure. Development near this site - particularly telecommunications masts, wind turbines, solar farms and tall structures - may require DIO and GCHQ consultation. Wychavon DC planning team can confirm the consultation zone for specific sites.