A U-TURN similar to that of the Italian army was how the former leader of Herefordshire Council described plans to create a new housing suburb at Bullinghope.

Councillor Terry James went on the attack at last Thursday's cabinet meeting as changes to the revised Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan were discussed.

Talking about the proposal to move land earmarked for about 300 houses from Holmer to a site south of the river, coun James said: "It is the fastest U-turn on policy we have ever seen, and when I say U-turn, I mean a retreat worthy of the Italian army."

Councillor Charles Mayson defended the move, saying it would attract invaluable funds for the proposed Rotherwas access road from housing companies.

"The Government do not want to know about the access road at the moment and we have to get hold of the reins," he said.

"If this means building houses to force the issue, then so be it."

However, South Wye councillor Chris Chappell dismissed this.

"The UDP will not be finalised until 2005 or 2006, too late for Rotherwas businesses and a figure of 300 houses will not generate enough funding for the road. Holme Lacy Road and Bullingham Lane would not be able to cope with an increase in traffic and that's why the houses should go back to Holmer and Munstone."

But Councillor George Hyde said the roads at Munstone 'flooded considerably' and were of an 'inadequate size'.

Cabinet member for the environment Phil Edwards recognised the many viewpoints that fuelled the lively debate were all part of the process.

"There are recorded differences of opinion between officers, members, rival developers, land owners and agents but, this is the natural strategic planning process hard at work," he explained.

"It is not surprising that some new, perhaps radical, thinking arrived when a third of the council membership changed during last year's election," he added.