Brainwave’

THE public will have read (Postbag January 9) senior Tory environment committee chairman Susan Barker's denial of ever backing an

eco-town in Uttlesford with some puzzlement.

I'm not surprised she wishes to distance herself from her group's 'brainwave' when this could lead to 10,000 homes coming to this area on top of the 4200 we already need to locate.

Yet Tory group leader Jim Ketteridge was enthusiastic at public meetings in last year that the option four new settlement would become a government-sponsored eco-town destined for grants to pay for infrastructure.

It is one thing to issue denials, but the rabbit is out of the bag! The Tories' high profile campaign has given an amber light to developer proposals for new settlements across much of the district.

We believe there's no alternative to returning to the drawing board and there should be a little more humility and a determination from the ruling group to listen as well as talk.

Alan Dean

Lib Dem Member for Stansted South

Uttlesford District Council