I refer to your article in the Gazette (April 18) concerning the plans to build on the Rothwell Road playing field site.

I was very heartened to see among the responses to this application published on the Malvern Hills District Council website responses from Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) unit and the Malvern Hills District Counchil landscape officer.

Both these responses are clear, well argued and detailed responses, both recommending refusal of this application to build on AONB land.

When I went to re-read the landscape officer's response I found that it has vanished from the website and so I am unable to quote its conclusion.

Some will think this is a simple error, but conspiracy theorists may think differently. I couldn't possibly comment.

Any development of the size proposed (43 houses), would be a precedent for further erosion of Malvern's landscape, and for the gradual degradation of the legacy of the original pioneer conservators. Other applications to build on the slopes will follow is this is allowed.

I am able to quote from the AONB response, which concludes 10 pages of careful argument saying: "We consider that insufficient weight has been given to the importance of the AONB and that the development is not sustainable and therefore contrary to national policy. We therefore recommend that the application is refused."

It is still not too late to submit responses on the council's planning website, the application number is 14/00262/FUL

Peter Walter

Malvern Wells