The report from the independent Examination in Public calls for even greater numbers of homes to be built on South Worcestershire's green fields. Instead of 10,500 homes in Worcester, 11,000 should be built. Instead of 4,900 homes in Malvern Hills, 5,000 should be built and instead of 9,100 homes in Wychavon, there is an increase to 9,500. This is a total increase of 1,000 to 25,500, compared to 24,500 previously.
However, the impact on Malvern Hills is actually much greater, as the report insists that at least 3,500 of Worcester City's allocation should be West of the City, while a further 4,000 should be split between Malvern Hills, Wychavon and Worcester City.
Harriett Baldwin said, "I am horrified at this report. It recommends to the Secretary of State that over 10,000 homes - three towns the size of Pershore - should be concreted over the green fields of Malvern Hills, swallowing the rural idyll around Elgar's birthplace into Worcester City. Kempsey, the County's largest village, would struggle to maintain its independent identity. The Southern Ring Road is already at 190% of capacity. A Conservative government has pledged to tear up this whole top-down, Stalinist approach to house-building. We should abolish this expensive regional tier of government and return the power to decide on housing numbers to our locally-accountable councillors. Gordon Brown, call a General Election now."