SIR - The proposed expansion of Worcester by 10,000 homes will provide copy for Worcester News for years to come, but anxiety for the thousands whose little bit of England may become eclipsed by the plans. Houses have to be built somewhere, and "you cannot please all the people all of the time" but is this scale of development really essential?

The city is a pleasant and nicely contained place to live. Developers won't care too much about the feelings of the local people. They will be preoccupied with making lots of money. At the moment the city is about the right size for a good quality of life, and retains that feeling that the fields are always a short walk or ride away. It is one of the reasons why people come to live here in the first place.

I doubt that most of these homes will accommodate people working directly within Worcester. The expansion just seems too large when one considers that the local economy is fighting to sustain the numbers employed rather than have optimism that many new companies will come here employing thousands of people. And what about affordable housing? Will these proposed developments contain anything but a derisory and conciliatory gesture?

ANDREW BROWN,

Worcester.