THE publication of Persimmon Homes' detailed plans for the mix of housing on North Site is a welcome insight into the developer's thoughts.

As a document, it has much to recommend it, not least because it is a clear statement of intent, a rare quality in an official submission.

The emphasis placed on affordable housing offers some hope for our young people struggling to reach that first rung on the property ladder.

A bullish housing market, coupled with a preponderance of larger houses in the area, has forced first-time buyers further afield. The refrain that young people can no longer afford to live in the area they grew up in is increasingly heard.

On this page, reader Jo McFarlane poses a perfectly reasonable question - is what is proposed what we want in Malvern?

She takes issue with the number of homes and with the idea of cramming people in. She will not be alone in those thoughts.

However, it is hard not to think that Persimmon is on the right lines with the central theme of its submission -- Malvern needs homes within the reach of young people's pockets. It needs to provide a base from which tomorrow's families will grow and renew our community.

By the same token, the onus is on the developer to plan well, examples of ill-thought-out high-density housing estates can be found in just about every urban area.

That balance - between need and reality - is where the most immediate debate should be centred.

Having settled that question, perhaps we can then move towards actually getting something built.