SIR – Gary Williams, head of planning and housing at Malvern Hills District Council, attempted to rebut the claim of collusion between councils and property developers (Worcester News, December 7) made by Kathy Wallbridge and Lisa Stevens (Worcester News, November 24), but his letter just proves how right the critics are.

The problem is that the South Worcestershire Development Plan and the attitude of councils is always clearly in favour of development.

The fact is that the planners are very clearly doing everything they can to get as much housing built as possible.

All the wording of the South Worcestershire Development Plan was designed to convince people that the extra housing should be built, not to encourage debate, as genuine consultation should.

The South Worcestershire Development Plan is full of poorly made arguments in favour of extra housing.

But nowhere does it mention the option of simply not building on greenfield sites, and it provides no opportunity for people to say they reject the whole plan.

Planners and councillors will always find excuses, saying that we need masses of extra housing, or that they are simply responding to government policy over which they have no control.

Alternatively, they will do what Mr Williams has done and say that developers have already acquired an interest in land and the council is merely trying to ensure that there is local support and identify issues.

There needs to be a fullscale nationwide review of housing policy. A review based on facts.

STEVE DAVIS
Worcester