Plans to build a new garden annexe at a property in Kerswell Green, Kempsey, have been rejected by Malvern Hills District Council.
The application, M/26/00425/HP, sought permission for the erection of an annexe outbuilding at The Laurels, Kerswell Green.
The proposals had already attracted objections locally, including from Kempsey Parish Council, which raised concerns about the potential residential use of the building and development within the open countryside.
When considering the application earlier this year, the Parish Council noted that Kerswell Green does not have a defined settlement development boundary and is therefore treated as open countryside for planning purposes.
Councillors also questioned the intended use of the proposed annexe. Plans included a bathroom and a number of separate rooms, leading the Parish Council to raise concerns that the building could potentially function as independent residential accommodation rather than simply an ancillary outbuilding connected to the main house.
The Parish Council argued that development of this nature could conflict with planning policies intended to restrict new residential development in the countryside.
The application was submitted in March 2026 and went before Malvern Hills District Council’s Planning Committee in August.
The proposal has now been rejected.
The application site sits within Kempsey Parish and the Kempsey Ward.
Further details and planning documents can be viewed through Malvern Hills District Council’s planning portal by searching for application M/26/00425/HP.