HUNDREDS of people have written to Malvern Hills District Council complaining about a housing plan.

The application by Gilbert Brooke, of Barley Farm, Alfrick, is for around 70 mostly "affordable" homes off Half Key Road, North Malvern.

The council has received more than 180 letters of objection, plus three petitions, one of which has 163 signatures.

The plan is on the agenda for the council's southern area development control committee meeting on Wednesday (May 18).

Andy Green, chairman of the residents' committee co-ordinating opposition, said traffic impact was one of the main objections.

"Half Key Road is a narrow country lane which already has a weight restriction on it and to widen it you'd need to rip out hedges," he said.

"Most people around here were pretty shocked when they first heard about this and there was a feeling of disbelief."

Objectors also point out that the site is outside Malvern's settlement boundary and would set a precedent for other open areas to be developed.

"I'm reasonably confident it will be refused. It goes against all the Govern-ment guidelines and planning regulations," said Mr Green, who said objectors would be attending the meeting.

A letter from the applicant's agents, Hamilton Chartered Surveyors, says the need for affordable housing would justify a departure from the local plan.

Planning officers recommend that the scheme is rejected. In their report, they say while the need for affordable housing is recognised, the location would be a "significant visual intrusion into the open countryside" would foster a piecemeal form of development and would be detrimental to highway safety.