CONSERVATIVE Party Chairman Eric Pickles MP spoke to a packed public meeting in Malvern last night (Thursday).

Sir Michael Spicer MP, Dr Ken Pollock, West Worcestershire Conservative Chairman and Harriett Baldwin, Conservative Parliamentary candidate also joined the panel.

More than a hundred people listened to Mr Pickles talk about plans to “build a bonfire” with the paperwork from the Regional Spatial Strategy.

Villagers from Shrawley, Little Witley, Hallow, Lower Broadheath, Newland, Norton Juxta Kempsey, Alfrick and Castlemorton and elsewhere joined town residents from Malvern, Tenbury Wells and Pershore. Questions were asked on a range of topics, but were mainly focussed on how the South Worcestershire councils can avoid being forced to take more the 24,500 new homes.

In response to a question from Liberal Democrat County Councillor Clive Smith about how soon after a General Election the Conservatives could repeal the Regional Spatial Strategy, Mr Pickles said the party’s QCs had already drafted a bill.