I DO NOT know anything about Paul Westlake, who puts a case for allocating the 3000 houses at Great Canfield, other than he lives in the Saffron Walden area. My politics are my concern and not driven by my councillor wife of whom I am justly proud, howev

I DO NOT know anything about Paul Westlake, who puts a case for allocating the 3000 houses at Great Canfield, other than he lives in the Saffron Walden area.

My politics are my concern and not driven by my councillor wife of whom I am justly proud, however I am never happier than getting grubby in the garden.

In the last Postbag of 2007 I expressed my desire to minimise the number of developers involved in the housing options consultation from Uttlesford.

This was based on my experience as a parish councillor some years ago. The precept at Felsted had to be greatly increased after a futile battle with the developers of Oakwood Park.

More recently UDC was involved in an appeal for an additional 162 dwellings, which the council seemed to barely afford. Therefore my comment: scattered housing is scatter brained.

I met no Tory councillors hiding behind UDC?officers, but our officers are the paid professionals, and I am inclined to take their advice. They have for many years researched these sites including Elsenham, and have never allocated more than 80 houses for Great Chesterford. Why? I do not know, but suspect that the land is unsuitable.

My other reasons for choosing option four is that it is more central and accessible for a secondary school. There will be less disturbance from motorway noise, which can be worse than aircraft. I discount the loss of affordable housing in villages, because I tried, along with a UDC officer, to establish any of three sites, but the owners of the land required an unacceptable quid pro quo, and so it remains to this day.

George Bellingham-Smith

Felsted