FURTHER to your report headed “Homes protest group in first meeting” (Hereford Times, April 11), congratulations to Leominster’s newly-formed Leopard action group for organising such a well-attended public meeting.

Few would dispute that Leominster requires housing to meet local need in a low-pay area.

But what Herefordshire Council is imposing on the town is something else entirely.

As part of its core strategy the council’s Conservative leadership is forcing through a massive and ill thought-out urban expansion plan on a rural market town – a proposed rate of growth far in excess of that of the other Herefordshire market towns.

The tragedy is the majority of the proposed 2,300 new homes will be high-profit (ie, expensive), almost certainly beyond the reach of most local people because the aim of the core strategy is to make the new housing pay for the construction of an east-west bypass.

This is a deeply-flawed plan which distorts local housing policy and would lead to overkill urban expansion on to a large tract of quality farmland.

Leominster’s need is for affordable homes and for the planners to prioritise brownfield sites.

Besides the former Barons Cross army hospital site where, some years ago, outline permission was granted for 425 homes, another good brownfield location for housing would be the site of Dale’s factory at Mill Street.

Readers will be aware that Dales is to relocate the factory to Leominster Enterprise Park and will seek planning approval for a Sainsbury’s superstore, 500-space car park and petrol filling station on the Mill Street land.

Part of its plan is for 50 houses.

Why not more? Leominster already has three superstores and needs some affordable homes far more than it needs another edge-of-town retail giant that will drain life from the town centre.

The core strategy proposals impact on Leominster in a big way but the town has been cheated over any meaningful consultation with, for example, county officials refusing to attend a single public meeting.

The Hereford Times report mentioned a seven-week period for comments but that is now nearly over. Responses must be with the council by Monday.

PETE BLENCH, Chairman, North Herefordshire Greens