THE chairman of Worcester's planning committee has fired developers a warning over the county's housing blueprint - saying the public will be furious if they go "an inch" over it.

As your Worcester News revealed yesterday, after a decade's work the South Worcestershire Development Plan is now finally a legal working document.

The controversial dossier earmarks land for 28,370 homes across Worcester, Malvern and Wychavon by 2030 - essentially advising developers where to invest.

Councillor Alan Amos, who chairs the city council's planning committee, says he would see to it that any attempts to get around the plan is blocked.

It comes as one former city Mayor claims the plan is worthless - saying the Government's drive for extra homes will soon devalue its aims.

Councillor Amos said: "This plan is very important because it will stop opportunistic and speculative development.

"I am sure the people of Worcester will agree with me, when I say 'build what's in it, but not an inch more'."

The plan includes more than 9,000 properties for Worcester, but the total was only made possible by agreeing to extra development across the council boundaries, with two major extensions planned south and west of the city.

Councillor Amos said he considers the city to be "full" once all the infill is finally complete.

It comes as Tory Councillor Gareth Jones, a former Mayor, revealed he was highly sceptical about what protection the SWDP offers.

"This document is not the panacea people think it will be," he said.

"It will not deliver what you think it will deliver, because developers will just appeal (to the national Planning Inspectorate in Bristol) and it'll end up being decided by one man, an inspector.

"It's just wrong."

Last year Prime Minister David Cameron warned local authorities that any which fail to agree their own local plans by 2017 will have ministers come in and do it for them.

In theory, local plans are supposed to ensure builders are stopped from concreting over sites not earmarked for development.

The SWDP used to contain room for 22,300 homes but an independent inspector, Roger Clews, ordered that it must be increased, taking the total to 28,370 before he signed it off.

It also includes land for 25,000 jobs spread across 309 hectares of land.