REGARDING the proposed expansion of Malvern primary schools (Gazette, November 7).

The council have requested that local schools must increase the size of their pupil intake from 60 to 90 pupils.

That is a huge target to increase levels by 50 per cent and who is going to suffer – the children, existing and the new.

I would imagine that the main reason for this is so that the primary school infrastructure would be in place ready for the start of building the 8,500 houses in and around Lower Howsell Road right the way through to the Swan at Newlands and the rest of the Malvern proposed developments.

As reported by local papers, the school has confirmed that they will not consider expansion on the current site so there is still nowhere for the new families children to go to school.

My question is: how can the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) and any other large local planning applications even be considered at this early stage when the infrastructure the ideas are based on is developing cracks as this early stage.

Once again I feel the council and MP Harriett Baldwin have got it wrong.

Schools cannot cope, but will hospitals, doctors, emergency services, shops, roads, drainage, streams, and the residents quality of life cope with it?

How long will it be before the Welcome to Malvern sign is torn down and replaced with 'Malvern, a suburb of Worcester' at another extra cost to the residents?

Ron Harris

Malvern Link