PLANS for a nursing-home in Colwall have been given the green light.

Blue Cedar Homes were yesterday (Wednesday) granted permission to build the 46-bed home on land off Walwyn Road.

The proposal also includes 25 new homes, comprising of 12 sheltered housing units.

The approval means that an existing bottling plant at the site will be demolished.

The plant was built in 1892 and, up until 2010, was home to Malvern Water Enterprise.

The application was recommended for refusal because, even though the plant is not a listing building, it has "heritage value."

But, nine councillors gave the proposal the thumbs-up with only five voting against it.

"I agree the bottling plant has history, but the developer is trying to supply what the people want," said Councillor Dave Greenow.

"If the locals are happy, we need to listen to them."

However, Cllr Mark Hubbard said that the building does have local significance.

"I don't think it is a shell of a building, I think it is all there," said Cllr Hubbard.

"What has happened to society when we say, 'yeah, lets knock everything down'."