This is a reader's letter published in the Hereford Times on November 7.

“NEED answers” is an excellent title for Gillian Herbert’s letter questioning proposed large housing estates in Herefordshire (October 31). I asked a similar question of the council’s chief executive in June 2021 and was promised an answer which is still awaited!

At that time, the proposal was to build 17,000 new homes across the county to meet national planning policy framework (NPPF) demand which, it was suggested, would be occupied by “people who work from home”.

The NPPF figure has almost doubled under new Government policy. This ignores the fact that at least 60 per cent of jobs simply can’t be done “from home” and that, despite modern technology, houses in Herefordshire will do nothing to alleviate a housing crisis in London or Manchester.

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Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

Central government does not seem to recognise any relationship between people, work and places. This puts our county council in an untenable position. Either they approve this massive development spree, taking agricultural and environmentally sensitive land out of use forever (while the buildings stand empty) or they reject the government’s demands and argue the case for a more nuanced approach which would build only the sort of houses needed at prices which local workers can afford, bearing in mind that the county needs jobs far more than housing estates.

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I am pleased that the council has opted for the latter but nervous about what happens when or if the government rejects their argument.

Meanwhile, as Ms Herbert also points out, thousands of new residents will require more schools, more surgeries and hospitals, better public transport, and the qualified staff to run them...

What a mess! We “need answers” fast.

JULIA C EVANS

Lyonshall