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Sir.-Surely housing development in the borough is worthy of more mature debate than the views expressed by Councillor Gary Watts in The Gazette.

In attempting to play party politics, he appears to have lost the plot.

There is no reason why the borough council should adopt the same policy as the county council, and the fact that control of both is of the same political persuasion is irrelevant.

With regard to development at Manydown, I disagree with the policy of the current borough administration and support the policy of the previous Lib Dem/Labour administration who promoted Manydown in their evidence at the public inquiry into the Local Plan.

The inspector did not reject development there, but in curtailing the time span for the current plan from 2016 to 2011, because of the lack of evidence to support additional infrastructure, Manydown was not required in that plan.

Cllr Watts predicts that the Tories will blame the Government for development. Yes they will and rightly so.

Housing numbers are specified by the South East England Regional Assembly, an unelected undemocratic body set up by Central Government to pursue their policies.

Cllr Watts criticises Hampshire County Council for funding feasibility studies into development at Manydown.

Perhaps he could advise us whether the policy of his party is still to support such development - in which case, maybe he should welcome the county initiative.

-H E Mansfield, Old Basing.

5:06pm Friday 25th April 2008

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