CONTROVERSIAL proposals to further increase the number of new homes planned for south Worcestershire have been attacked by the region’s councils.

Councillors at Worcester, Wychavon and Malvern Hills district councils as well as Worcestershire County Council are holding a series of meetings to consider their responses to a recent report by Government-appointed planning consultants, which suggests that up to 5,500 more homes could be built in south Worcestershire over the next 20 years – on top of the 24,500 already planned.

And while the councils’ final responses are still at a draft stage, politicians and planning officers have been universally scathing of the report by Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners (NLP).

“We are extremely disappointed with the study and its outcome,” said Worcestershire County Council’s principal planner Paul Maitland.

“In general terms we would say the scenario set out is totally unacceptable because of the impact on green field sites, green belt, infrastructure in particular, and its overall deliverability.”

The original figure of 24,500 new homes was arrived at following a lengthy process of consultation across the region, which took several years to complete.

An all-ecompassing document for the West Midlands – the Regional Spacial Strategy – was agreed by every local council, taking in all aspects of the region’s development over the next two decades.

But the Government immediately rejected the agreed housing figures, saying more must be built to help meet its national target of three million new homes. It therefore commissioned the study by NLP to see where extra houses could be built. The final decision will be made at a public inquiry next year.

Mr Maitland told the county’s cabinet that the NLP study had not taken into account the many issues surrounding housing growth, such as how the region’s transport infrastructure could cope.

“The study is totally one-dimensional,” he said.

“It focuses solely on housing numbers, not looking at other challenges faced by the region.

“The study has worryingly had almost total disregard for local considerations.”

Discussions at district council level have met with a similar response.

Worcester City Council leader Simon Geraghty told his cabinet: “The NLP report has been roundly condemned, and from my perspective it’s deeply flawed. In terms of the economy, jobs, infrastructure, none of these issues have been considered.”

And Wychavon’s district councillors have unanimously voted to reject the figures proposed by NLP.

Councillor Judy Pearce said they were “loony numbers”, while councillor Jean Dowty said the figures in the report were “a step too far”.