GOVERNMENT plans to make brown field employment sites in Wychavon available for housing has met with criticism by Wychavon's planners.

Dave Tomaney, Wychavon's policy manager, has urged councillors to object to the government's plans, which would open floodgates to developers.

He said: "Guidelines are only in the consultation stage at present, but the government has suggested that we make brown field sites, allocated for employment, available for housing.

"If this is adopted the flood gates would be open to developers, who can make bigger profits building houses. Areas like the old BT office in Abbey Road, Evesham would be opened up for housing, driving a coach and horses through our employment strategy."

He also said the government's idea for Wychavon to produce target figures for housing needs ten years beyond its local plan was unrealistic.

Mr Tomaney said: "Our local plan is not expected to be published until 2005 and the government is expecting a housing needs estimate up until 2015 which is not possible."

Wychavon's councillors have responded to the statement issued by planning minister Keith Hill outlining the Government's vision of future housing delivery by saying that very few plans - and none within Worcestershire - actually covered that sort of time scale.

The minister's aim was to ensure the planning system did not "act as a brake" to provide an adequate and continuing supply of housing sites.

Mr Tomaney's response to the minister's statement was accepted by the council's development control committee.