HUNDREDS of letters of objection are being sent to council planners over proposals to build homes on greenbelt land.

Members of the Claines Action Group have said the area will lose all its “local distinctiveness” if plans to build more than 300 homes go ahead.

Areas at risk in the South Worcestershire Development Plan include Old Northwick Farm and Gwillams Farm, off the A38 north of Worcester.

Up to 355 homes could be built, which campaigners say will “completely dest-roy these local amenities”.

This week, 1,700 leaflets and objection letters have been distributed to people living in Claines asking them to formally oppose the plans.

The action group has also produced a 38-page document outlining its objections as part of the eight-week consultation on the plan, which runs until Friday, November 18.

The letters, addressed to senior planners at Worcester City Council, state that plans to develop land at Old Northwick Farm and Gwillams Farm were massively opposed during the South Worcestershire Joint Care Strategy, yet there is no mention of this in the current plan.

The action group also points out there are about 2,600 empty houses in Worcester and Wychavon.

It says if they were all filled, it would “reduce the housing allocations tremendously and save the green open spaces in Claines, and others in Worcester, being developed”.

It also claims the empty homes are also not mentioned in the current plan.

Another concern is that the new homes will be occupied by people coming from outside of Worcester who won’t be working in the city.

Action group member Terry Sims said: “The development plan is like Swiss cheese.

"Do we want a cathedral city or Redditch-on-Severn? Residents of Claines don’t want the area to lose all of its local distinctiveness, which is very important.”

A Worcester City Council spokesman confirmed it had received a number of letters as part of the consultation, which will all be considered by the SWDP team.

A drop-in session is being held at Claines Royal British Legion Club in Cornmeadow Lane tomorrow from noon to 6pm.

People will have a chance to view the plans and give comments. For more information, visit swdevelopmentplan.org