I READ, with some disappointment, the article in the Malvern Gazette (August 15) about Councillor David Hughes’ application for 23 new homes on land which the application describes as “outside any development boundary and in open countryside”, which is contrary to policies which were considered sound enough to be included in the current development plan.

The application also pointed out “we currently find ourselves in a policy vacuum where there is no extant development plan policies to meet the future housing supply of Malvern Hills”.

I wonder why Malvern Hills District Council finds itself in such a helpless position. Could it be that the district douncil, of which Councillor Hughes is a prominent member (the Conservative Leader of the council), has let us down by not producing an up-to-date policy for housing provision in a district local plan within the appropriate time frame?

The lack of such a plan has left Malvern an open target for developers to initiate planning applications that the majority of the voters in Malvern do not want.

Just because there is “a policy vacuum” surely it does not mean that all sensible planning goes by the board and that developers can fill the vacuum and reap their opportunistic gains and impose on the people of Malvern developments that may prove to be unsustainable, damaging to our countryside, and which are not wanted.

It would be a great pity if any of our elected councillors took advantage of a situation for which they collectively, at least, may be responsible.

Peter Alma

Malvern