A LONG-AWAITED housing and jobs blueprint for Worcestershire must be adopted quickly, a county MP has insisted.

Harriett Baldwin has used a parliamentary debate to call for a speedy conclusion to the South Worcestershire Development Plan.

The Conservative, who represents West Worcestershire, used a Westminster Hall speech to outline her worries about any more delay.

The document, which earmarks land for 23,000 homes and 25,000 jobs by 2030, is currently out for an independent inspection.

She said: “The South Worcestershire Development Plan is an important document which has been the subject of local consultation and discussion for more than two years now.

“Many local people have expressed their concerns to me about delays approving the plan and I was happy to take this issue to Westminster to ask for a swift resolution to this issue.

“The minister told me that although he is not able to comment on individual planning matters, he said he expected that he would expect plans to be adopted in between six and 12 months from the date of submission.

“We are approaching the first anniversary of the district council votes to approve it, so I hope the planning inspector takes note of the minister’s comments as he carries out this crucial task.”

She has lobbed Nick Boles, the planning minister, for a speedy conclusion.

Inspector Roger Clews is currently examining the feedback from an examination held at the start of this month.

As your Worcester News reported three weeks ago, councils in Birmingham and the Black Country are trying to get the employment land reduced amid fears it would harm their towns and cities.

The stance was described as "outrageous" by Worcester MP Robin Walker.