I understand from the Malvern Gazette that Malvern Hills District Council will not be responsible for decisions made on housing developments in this area because of its failure to establish a five-year plan.

In this case is there any point in the procedures which developers go through to consult local residents who will be affected by developments in their neighbourhood?

I live in Kempsey and have just been informed of a proposed development of 90 homes in a field adjoining our land which will have a significant effect on the environment in which we live and on the rural nature of this village.

It is already one of the biggest villages in England and has very few facilities for the present population, with only one shop, no post office, a small community centre and a run-down parish hall.

The doctor’s surgery only operates part-time and has space for about 10 people in the waiting room, resulting in people having to queue outside in busy periods.

The school is apparently fully subscribed and has no space to expand.

The access road to this proposed development will be directly on to a narrow lane which also serves the school and a nursery school.

Even now it is rare that anyone can drive up this lane without stopping to let another car pass, without the addition of 90 more households.

There is no mains drainage to some of the properties adjoining the land in question, and there is flooding from a stream along one edge which also floods the lane on a dangerous corner.

After a meeting with the developers who naturally have answers to all these problems, we were told that we could put our objections to the council's planning officer.

This is only one of a number of developments proposed around Kempsey, some of which we believe have already received planning permission.

Where are the jobs that all these incoming residents will do?

The regular traffic gridlock on the southern link road around Worcester from Carrington Bridge up to the M5 junction is well known and was highlighted during the recent floods, and even with improvements to the Ketch roundabout and part-dualling of the road to the M5 there will continue to be severe problems at peak times.

As it appears that thecouncil is no longer in control of housing developments and decisions will be made by government officers who have no interest in the local communities we are left wondering whether we still live in a democracy.

Hilary Wallace

Kempsey