IT was almost as inevitable as night following day that the proposal by the Forestry Commission to build log cabin holiday homes in the Mortimer Forest would bring a mix of views.

Tony Malhalski is a relative newcomer who has made a very good and positive contribution to the life of the town.

He has got involved in a range of issues especially through the Civic Society and now as a member of Ludlow Town Council.

He brings wisdom and experience and his views are worthy of consideration and respect.

Therefore, it is not easy to disagree with him, but many will feel that his concerns about the Forest Holidays plan are misplaced.

According to a straw poll by Andy Boddington, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow North, 60 per cent of people broadly support the scheme.

Such polls needed to the taken with a level of caution but suggest that people see the benefit in a project that it is claimed could bring £2.4 million a year into the local economy.

Tony Malhalski appears to be concerned about the impact of such a development, especially upon the bed and breakfast businesses in and around Ludlow.

Many years ago, when my family was young we took a number of holidays in Forest Holiday cabins in the south west of England, Yorkshire and Scotland.

They were hugely enjoyable and bring memories of happy times spent on sites tastefully created in beautiful settings giving us a chance to get close to nature without spoiling it.

In my experience this is a very different market to the bed and breakfast sector where people are more likely to be couples who want someone else to do the cooking.

The cabins are for larger family style groups looking for self-catering accommodation.

Therefore, they would surely add to, rather than detract from, the mix of accommodation available for those wanting to visit Ludlow and south Shropshire .

In addition to the jobs that will be created in the construction phase there will also be work connected with the site. These jobs will also be leveraged by the additional spending that will come to businesses in the area like shops, pubs, restaurants and tourist attractions.

It is true that many of the jobs directly related to the site will be relatively low paid hospitality and tourism jobs and in some cases seasonal. But welcome nevertheless.

Times are tough and in all probability likely to get tougher so investment that increases prosperity is to be welcomes.

But, of course, any development has to be tasteful and considered.