REGARDING Chris Cheesman's letter of May 9, the location of the Hop Pole Green development outside the settlement boundary was part of why the inspector felt it caused harm to the surrounding countryside. A harm he put significant weight on.

Malvern Hills District Council approved the development – one that was unsustainable, had no section 106 and no access agreed to the site.

The leader of the council led the move to approve Hop Pole Green last December, saying the council would loose on appeal.

So Cllr Cheesman was wrong to say we are in a development lottery.

Our own leader cannot tell a sustainable development from an unsustainable one because he is far to busy worrying about special measures and appeal costs.

Kiln lane and Eastward Road were democratically refused, but both dragged back to a different committee to get the answer right on the advice of those who got the Hop Pole Green development wrong.

So I do not think any resident is pessimistic to say that planning at the council is now a lottery with the developers calling the numbers.

Sarah Rouse

Leigh Sinton