A PROTEST group is appealing for more members as it attempts to stop what it calls a "chaotic" housing development on the outskirts of St John's, Worcester.

Earl's Court Farm Action Group, based in Dines Green, is horrified by proposals to build 200 homes on fields bordering Tudor Way.

The group, which was set up six months ago, currently has 20 members and urgently wants more to increase its power to lobby.

Earl's Court Farm has been earmarked as development land by the Worcester City Council, which sees the fields as a key asset in helping to relieve housing shortages.

The council wants to see a developer come in and build 200 homes on the site, and it has produced a development brief for such a proposal.

Members of the action group are concerned the project will cause traffic chaos in the area and be a danger to wildlife such as badgers and slow worms.

Group chairman David Westaway said: "A few of us decided to get together after hearing about the proposals.

"We are against the development full stop and want to try and prevent it happening. Our goal is to air a view from the perspective of local people. A development of this size will cause traffic chaos, particularly as St John's is already a bottleneck as it is."

The group is concerned that any future house building, coupled with the planned development at nearby Grove Farm, will be too much for the area to bear.

Earl's Court Farm is next to the Grove Farm development site, where it is planned to build 27 office blocks and industrial units. When completed, they will create up to 3,000 new jobs.

"The Grove Farm development, coupled with Earl's Court Farm, means we face all these changes right on our doorstep," added Mr West-away. "It will be absolute chaos unless we get our voice heard."

Anyone wishing to join the group can contact Mr Westaway on 07910 851253.

Coun Sam Arnold, who represents the St John's ward said: "The city council would like to see this group involved and I personally will support them any way I can."