PLANS have been submitted by Kler Group for outline planning permission to build up to 95 houses in a field in rural Little Malvern and to have vehicular access through the parish boundary into urban Malvern Wells.

Wading through the many documents from Kler and their contractors supporting their case to convert this productive farmland into a housing estate I noticed that there is no mention of the land being in Little Malvern.

Time and time again the various specialists wrongly refer to the field being in urban Upper Welland.

The submitted 'masterplan' suggests a possible layout of roads and houses, but these details are not really part of the application; the application is purely for outline planning permission and road access on to Upper Welland Road.

The conspiracy theorist in me questions why the fact that the field is in Little Malvern doesn't get mentioned in the documents and why they are simply seeking outline planning permission when their documents are packed with detailed possibilities for the site: the buildings, the landscaping etc.

What happens if Kler succeed?

Will the floodgates be open to further development once a precedent has been set?

What is to stop them putting a road down to the only fieldgate, in the south corner, then submitting further similar plans to build on more fields in Little Malvern.

Impossible?

At Lawn Farm, down in Welland, where outline planning permission has been obtained, Bovis have put up their advertisement signs for the new housing estate and now Kler are seeking outline planning permission to extend the building site and build up to an additional 50 houses.

Fortunately, the Little Malvern field under threat is in an area of outstanding natural beauty where the appearance of the whole site and buildings is very important.

Surely, it will be unwise to grant any planning permission without the details of the roads and houses being defined.

Rob Embleton

Upper Welland