A Green councillor said more space for off-road parking at new houses would lead to worse congestion and air pollution.

Councillor Alan Amos, the county council’s cabinet member for Highways has criticised his fellow members of Worcester City Council’s Planning Committee after they gave a negative response to a county council suggestion that new developments had more off-road parking.

He said restricting parking to encourage people to use other forms of transport was a ‘fantasy’ and streets were clogged with cars.

But Green party member for Battenhall, Councillor Louis Stephen said that was short-sighted.

He said: “People need homes, good affordable, energy efficient homes.

But Alan Amos seems to want more homes for cars.

"He wants houses with bigger garages and more parking space. But this just means less room for people.

"It means further traffic chaos as those cars clog our streets and pollute the air. 

"It means urban sprawl gobbling more of our green fields.”

Cllr Stephen said better ideas on housing are needed: “Developers in Worcestershire need to work with the planners at city and county council level to find more creative solutions.

"All new housing projects must be really well served by public transport and have safe, pleasant and effective walking and cycling routes. The Green Party wants unused flats over shops made habitable.

“Where new homes must be built, we want mixed high-density developments with jobs nearby and easy access to shops, green space and civic amenities. This is the only effective long-term solution to making Worcester a cleaner, greener and nicer place to live.

“We need space for people, not cars.”