LEDBURY'S mayor, Cllr Annette Crowe has expressed disappointment and concern that Gladman Developments has won its appeal to build 321 new houses to the south of Ledbury, on land south of Leadon Way.

She is worried that a precedent could have been set and, with the north of the viaduct site already earmarked for more than 600 new homes with Bloor, Ledbury could end up with hundreds more homes that it was led to expect through Herefordshire Council's planning blueprint for the next two decades, The Core Strategy.

She said: "I am very disappointed. This is a very worrying precedent. I am surprised that Gladman was successful, because I thought the Core Strategy was meant to define where houses are built in Herefordshire.

"The extra houses are going to put so much stress on our doctors, dentists and schools; our infrastructure."

She referred to former mayor, Cllr Bob Barnes who, over a year ago, warned that the 'worst case scenario' could eventually be 2,000 new homes in Ledbury, not least because another planning blueprint for the town, the Neighbourhood Plan, still isn't ready.

She is worried that other developers will now spot an opportunity to build in Ledbury.

Cllr Crowe said: "The worst case scenario is happening. If we get 2000 new houses, that is 5000 more people in Ledbury. It's scary."

This would effectively double Ledbury's population.

Cllr Crowe said: "We must finish the Neighbourhood Plan. It is the only way for Ledbury people to have a say on the future of Ledbury. We can do something."