West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has rejected proposals which will see a dramatic overhaul of the planning process.

The MP has written to Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick urging him to rethink the proposals which could demand many thousands more homes to be built across south Worcestershire.

The Government is consulting on the proposals alongside a new method for assessing housing need. Together, the changes would mean that local councils in the south of the county would need to find sites for thousands more homes.

Harriett commented: “I’ve had detailed conversations with the local planners and councillors and we are all alarmed by the implications of the proposed changes which could see a requirement to build thousands more homes in south Worcestershire.

“The changes are clearly not taking into account that Worcestershire has lots of green space that is protected either because it is vital prime farming land or because it is part of the Malvern Hills or green belt.

“I’ve always been opposed by the imposition of housing numbers handed down by central Government and I have strongly resisted this new ‘Stalinist’ approach.

“We’re already building nearly 2,000 new homes each year, but I’m also extremely concerned that another mutant algorithm will lead to us being required to build thousands more houses.

“Having discussed this with local planners, I am convinced that we simply don’t have the available sites. I’ve already met with the Housing Minister to register my concerns and I’ve formally written in to the two consultations.

“I think we can all agree that the planning process would benefit from improvement, but this white paper seems to me to be very wide of the mark.”