DETAILS of Malvern Hills District Council's vision for the redevelopment North Site will be revealed within weeks.

The council is unveiling its Local Plan, incorporating the North Site development brief, at a meeting of its planning committee on Thursday, November 6.

The Local Plan sets out the direction in which the town will go in the next 15 to 20 years. It has been subject to considerable delays, having originally been scheduled for completion in 2001.

Planning officers will give three reports at next month's meeting. The first will seek endorsement for the draft Local Plan, so it can go forward to full council. The second will seek approval for the draft North Site development brief, while the third deals with affordable housing planning guidance.

Full council will consider the plan on November 25. If approved, it can then be put forward for public consultation, which will take place for six weeks from January 12 to February 23.

North Site was formerly a base for the Army Technical Support Agency and was declared redundant by the MoD several years ago.

The site was handed over to Defence Estates, the army's property wing, which is selling the land for development. But talks between Defence Estates and MHDC have proved problematic, with both sides harbouring different views on what the site's future should be.

Defence Estates wants to see up to 630 houses built on the 48-acre site. But MHDC wants to see more employment use from the area. The Local Plan will reveal details of the council's exact stance.

Hopes and fears surrounding North Site were discussed at a meeting of West Malvern Parish Council on Monday.

Councillors said they felt extra schools were needed and Coun John Raine, who is also a district councillor, said there would be one in the development brief.

Concern was also raised that there would not be sufficient water and sewerage capacity or public services for an extra 600 houses.

Coun Raine said that the land belonged to Defence Estates and it was in its interest to pack it with houses. He said the district council would try to influence it to include more services.

There were also concerns that road systems may not able to hold extra traffic. Doubts were raised over the ability of Newtown Road and Yates Hay Road to cope.