PLANS to improve access to Prince Henry's High School and Evesham Arts and Sports Centre have been given the green light.

Wychavon District Council has given £20,000 to Evesham Town Council to carry out the work, out of the New Homes Bonus funding.

The road will be widened where it passes in front of the school and the entrance to the arts centre.

Cllr Mark Goodge, Mayor of Evesham, welcomed the move, stating that the current access is "potentially dangerous" and builds congestion.

Cllr Goodge said: "At the moment, it's (the road) only single track, and it's a blind bend, which both limits capacity and is potentially dangerous. "The school buses use the car park as a turning circle, because there isn't space to turn around in Victoria Avenue, so at the moment only one bus can go at a time and it blocks the whole road for each bus.

This slows everything down and makes traffic back up along the street.

"Improving that will not only make it easier for the buses, but it will also help local residents by reducing congestion on Victoria Avenue.

"And, in the evenings, when there are events on at the arts centre, at the moment a taxi dropping off or picking up in front of the entrance blocks the entire access road for everyone, which again creates congestion on the nearby streets as well as making it harder for visitors to get in and out. "There are also issues when an event at the sports centre during the day ends at around the same time that people are arriving for an event in the arts centre in the evening - you have two major streams of traffic going in opposite directions through a narrow pinch point.

"As a regular visitor to the arts centre, I'm pleased to see this application approved. I've experienced the congestion there on a number of occasions, so I'm well aware of how necessary this is.

"It may not be the most exciting use of New Homes Bonus money, but it is addressing a very real problem in a practical way."

The access being improved is part of more than half a million pounds is set to be invested into Wychavon’s communities.

Plans approved to be part of the New Homes Bonus also include £63,780 to build a new village hall for Honeybourne Parish Council and £190,000 for Pershore Town Council to build a new community hall in Defford Road.

Cllr Gerry O’Donnell, executive board member for community development, culture and sport, said: "We believe the financial benefit of new home building should be shared with our communities.

"That’s why I am delighted we have approved this money which will make a significant difference to making these projects a reality and is a further sign of our continuing commitment to invest in our towns and villages.”