A PARCEL of land in Hereford is at the centre of a battle of the generations, writes HEATH ASTON.

Plans to develop land in Friars Street into accommodation for the elderly are being opposed by a neighbouring school which claims it needs part of the site for playing fields.

Lord Scudamore Primary School operates at full capacity with 650 pupils. For a number of years it has been short of outdoor space for children to play and a derelict flour mills site on Friars Street adjoining the school is seen as a perfect solution. A petition of 1,000 signatures objecting to the proposed development has been raised and in letters to the council, staff and parents said: "The site represents the last opportunity to expand in the area in order to improve facilities for the children. If development goes ahead this chance will be lost."

An offer to buy a section of the site at market value has been put to the developers by the Friends of Lord Scudamore School.

Developers McCarthy and Stone plan to turn the 2.1 acres into a large single building containing 38 one-bed flats, 15 two-bed flats, a manager's house and associated landscaped gardens.

The occupation of these units would be restricted to persons over 60 with any spouse being over 55 years of age. The second part of the scheme comprises 4 one-bed flats, 2 two-bed flats, 6 two-bed terraced houses and 12 three-bed terraced houses.

The Friends of Scudamore School have proposed the terraced housing development be lost from plans to allow the school a piece of the site.

However, a Herefordshire Council report on the proposal states: "The school clearly has extremely limited play space. Whilst the site would offer the most obvious solution for additional space, it is not an issue which can be considered either reasonable, relevant or related to the current application. For the developer to provide part of their site for the school's benefit is an extremely difficult case to argue."

Council planning officers have recommended the development should be allowed in its full form as it offers low-cost housing for the elderly on previously developed land.