Suddenly everyone wants to build homes in Malvern, or that's how it seems. With 390 homes planned for North Site, you would wonder whether Malvern really needs any more?

The whole point of the Local Plan process if to identify areas suitable for development in the future, in this case until 2011, so you would expect builders to try for as many sites as possible.

Most controversially, when the public inquiry starts next week Persimmon Homes, the developers of North Site, will be challenging plans to designate fields between Pickersleigh Road and the railway line, dubbed Malvern's 'green lung', as open space.

One of Malvern's biggest problems is that virtually every development is met by objections from people who just don't want the town to change.

On the other hand, one of the things which makes Malvern special is the amount of green space around the town, not just the Hills, but in the town itself.

The council is right to try and protect as much land as possible, to do otherwise would be to invite 'open season' from the developers.

By retaining control of potential sites, the council also leaves open the option of making exceptions for what we really do need, genuinely low-cost homes.

ON Friday, June 3, we are celebrating 150 years of newspaper publishing in Malvern with a special edition.

We would like to invite any past staff members or readers with special memories of the Malvern Gazette or Ledbury Reporter to get in touch with us to share their stories of the newspaper over the years. Contact our news desk on 01684 892200.