proposals to build almost 10,000 new homes in land around Worcester will not rip up the designated Green Belt - which is protected under planning guidelines.

Instead, the sites earmarked for future development are officially 'greenfield' sites - plots of land that are prime for development.

The Worcester News exclusively revealed three weeks ago how proposals have been tabled to disregard old boundaries and build over land belonging to Malvern Hills and Wychavon district councils to cope with the need for new homes.

Council bosses behind the proposals hit back against claims by opponents that too much green space will be lost by saying there is going to be 'lots of water under the bridge' before any developments actually happen.

City council leader Coun Simon Geraghty said: "There is a very important distinction to be made between Green Belt and greenfield.

"Obviously development of any Green Belt around Worcester is frowned upon by everyone, including planners.

"We also have to say that we are really in the very early stages of the project and there is going to be lots of water under the bridge.

"We have an excellent track record in developing brownfield land over the years but we all realise Worcester City Council will not be able to accommodate natural growth without looking at greenfield land.

"This is a way of managing future development."

The idea of having untouchable Green Belt land is almost 70 years old, and was introduced to check urban sprawl around London in 1938 and rolled out to cover the rest of the UK in 1955.

County council head of planning Mark Middleton said: "Green Belt, with a capital B, is land we will not build on.

"Greenfield is exactly that - basically it's just fields."

A total of 11 sites have been put forward for future development.

The map, part of which is pictured below, shows the protected plots of Green Belt at three seperate sites in North Claines, which are the only sections of Green Belt land in Worcester.

The map also shows two of the 11 nearby sites where new homes could be built - one for 560 homes off the A449 and one for 600 homes off Green Lane in Claines.

All 11 sites were detailed in the Worcester News three weeks ago.

There will be three public consultations over the next two years before the scheme goes any further.