HEAD of planning for Wychavon District Council, Jack Hegarty and leader Malcolm Meikle were today due meet Home Office Minister Beverley Hughes to discuss the proposed asylum centre at Throckmorton.

Joining them will be leaders and chief executives of the districts were other centres have been earmarked and all three MP's involved, including Mid Worcestershire MP Peter Luff.

Councillor Meikle said: "Wychavon is pleased the minister has consented to this meeting.

"The council is a lead player in planning issues and has already make clear the unsuitability of any major development in Throckmorton."

Villagers in Worcestershire were heartened last week when the district councils in Nottinghamshire and Oxfordshire rejected their asylum centre plans and called for public enquiries.

Last Friday (12) MP Michael Spicer held a meeting at Pershore Civic Centre for concerned residents. He told them he had received assurances in the Commons the day before that the views of the district council and local residents would be taken into consideration following a government planning application. He also informed those present that the Home Office had not yet served a Notice of Proposed Development to Wychavon. He said: "If it does, and the council objects, the dispute will be referred to the deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott who may decide to hold a non-statutory public inquiry. The planning inspector holding any such inquiry would treat it as if it were an appeal against refusal of planning permission."

Next month (Aug) PACT, the action group fighting against a Throckmorton asylum centre, is planning to march 750 members through Evesham and Pershore on the 31st.

The action is designed to show the impact 750 refugees would have on the community.