A STRATFORD councillor has condemned plans for extra social housing, claiming they will lead to the creation of rundown estates in the middle of the town.

The town council agreed last week to ask the county council to reopen the examination of the Warwickshire Area Structure Plan because a shortfall of low-cost and social housing in developments built since 1996 meant a higher percentage of new developments - around 70% - would have to be allocated.

Councillor Victor Walker said this would mean estates of cheap houses would build up in Stratford which would be impossible to sell, causing economic chaos and would spoil the look and image of the town.

"We are not objecting to having social or low cost housing, just the proportion of them," said Mr Walker. "Stratford, a small market town that is valuable to tourists, cannot cope with this many social houses.

"They will have no resale value and they are not really for Stratford residents anyway."