SAFETY fears have been raised over plans to convert four agricultural buildings to house businesses near Tenbury.

The application to convert buildings at Newnham Court from agricultural to business use was submitted to Malvern Hills District Council in January.

The application form submitted to the council said the buildings have been used so far in connection with an agricultural and hop business.

A design and access statement submitted with the application said there is strong interest from three prospective tenants to use three of the four buildings, two for long-term storage and the third as a joinery workshop for a local business.

There are no changes proposed to the buildings, which are portal-framed structures clad in profiled sheeting, or to the access, the statement said.

The statement said the previous hop business is no longer operating from the site and that the buildings are surplus to requirements and no longer required for agriculture.

"The proposal is for a change of use of four vacant agricultural buildings and provides an opportunity to bring these back into economic use without adversely affecting the wider farm or other land uses," it said.

A number of objections have been submitted by people living in the area.

Vicky Guise said: "The potential change of use of the Farm Buildings from Agricultural to Business use is of great concern to me on many aspects due to the potential detrimental impact of increased traffic, increased noise and the general erosion of the peaceful rural nature of the location."

Another neighbour, Graham Godfrey, raised concerns about the "currently completely blind junction" with the access road to the barns and a driveway to three homes, which he said would become "extremely hazardous with increased traffic flows", and about children who walk to and from the school bus along the road.

His concerns were echoed by Charles Fernihough, who also said he was "extremely concerned" about the safety of children using the road.

A transport statement submitted with the application said the proposed development "will provide safe and sustainable access without impacting on the safety of the public highway or creating wider traffic issues."