LOCAL politicians are leading the fight against Government-led plans for mass housing development in South Worcestershire.

Campaigners from Malvern and Newland joined others from Hallow, Broadheath and Kempsey for a meeting at the Bank House Hotel, in Bransford, on Tuesday evening.

The meeting was organised by local Lib Dem politicians looking to unite local opposition to the development plans laid down in the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and more locally the South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy (SWJCS).

Under the current proposals in the SWJCS Malvern will have to accommodate at least 1,600 new homes by 2026.

More than 80 people attended Tuesday’s meeting, which was chaired by parliamentary candidate Richard Burt.

“Everyone agreed that the current Regional Spatial Strategy should be suspended; that a locally driven plan should replace it, and that we should work together to lobby councillors, ministers and officials to ditch the current proposals,” said Mr Burt.

Heather Jeavons, from Newland, called the current plans “developer and planner led” and “housing by numbers, rather than considered, locally focused, sustainable development.”

Tom Wells, leader of the Lib Dem/Green group on Malvern Hills District Council, called the plans as they stand “environmental vandalism” and said Lib Dems on the council would vote against them when given the opportunity in October.

Meanwhile Conservative party chairman Eric Pickles MP was scheduled to visit Malvern last night (Thursday) for a public meeting to discuss his party’s concerns over the government’s housing plans.

And on Monday (May 11) Tory shadow minister for housing Grant Shapps MP is visiting Lower Broadheath to discuss the SWJCS proposals and his party’s alternative approach to rural housing.

The Tories have pledged to abolish the RSS if they win the next general election.

Local parliamentary candidate Harriett Baldwin said: “This top down imposition of 24,500 in South Worcestershire is just wrong.”