Village Facilities and Rural Transport Study (VFRTS)
- SWDP Review Timetable
- SWDP Review Issues and Options Consultation
- SWDP Review Preferred Options Consultation
- SWDP Review Further Regulation 18 (III) Sustainability Appraisal Consultation
- Regulation 18 Evidence Base
- SWDPR Regulation 19 Publication Consultation
- SWDP Review Main Modifications Consultation
- SWDP Review Inspector's Report
The purpose of the VFRTS is to assess the relative availability of key facilities and sustainable transport options throughout the settlements and report factual information.
The VFRTS has informed the development of the SWDPR by identifying key services, employment and sustainable transport opportunities across almost 200 villages and settlements in south Worcestershire. Each village was given a category from 1 – 4 / ‘open countryside’ with 1 being settlements with the most facilities, and 4/ ‘open countryside’ being settlements with the least services and those in the open countryside.
The study is not a decision-making document. The categorisation of villages allows them to be compared to one another and provides an indication of their accessibility to services and their ability to support sustainable development.
Please note – In light of evidence received during the SWDP Review Preferred Options Public Consultation in November and December 2019, the VRFTS has been amended and the following villages have been re-categorised:
- Harvington – moved from a Category 1 to a Category 2 village (the village only has 3 key services not 4 due to the Post Office closure)
- Ryall and Holly Green - moved from a Category 4 to a Category 3 village (further assessment of the level of public transport shows there is a daily bus service to Worcester. The key services were also amended to include employment opportunity within 1km (pub with function room and CEMEX processing plant).
- Hanley Castle – move from a Category 4 to a Category 3 village (further assessment of the level of public transport shows there is a daily bus service to Worcester. The key services were also amended to include the secondary school.
For a full list of settlements, please see Annex A (Rural Hierarchy of Settlements) in the SWDPR Regulation 19 Publication Document.
Village Facilities and Rural Transport Study (September 2019)
VFRTS Detailed Scores by Settlement