Residents' apathy is a great threat to town (From Gazette Series)

Residents' apathy is a great threat to town

SIR - On December 26 the front page of the Gazette showed up the sustained fighting spirit of the Coaley residents against an original planning application for 12 homes, now reduced to six.

Against this is the appalling apathy in Dursley residents who are prepared to sit and see the loss of all three industrial sites, replaced with approximately 850 homes, apart from the in-filling and back filling which takes place. 850 homes could house 3,400 people - more than half the population of Dursley which is approximately 6,000.

Rupert Joseland, development surveyor for the Lister site (St Modwen), has done a good job of brainwashing despite receiving only 10 responses from a four-page feature in the Gazette and 250 responses from a two-day exhibition in Kingshill House. The population of Cam and Dursley is approximately 14,000. With approximately two per cent return, Mr Joseland deduces "there is no doubt that everyone is supportive of the development as a whole. There are just a few specific issues to tackle."

I suggest one of them is SD4 of the Structure Plan, Third Alteration on Market Towns where it states: "Residential development should be limited in such towns near the principal urban areas'where it would encourage commuting, rather than meet local needs."

The second is, after a long and expensive consultation, presumably paid from the council tax, the planning inspector has still to pass judgement on the Lister Petter and Bymack sites. This could be around April but recently 2005 has been mentioned. Is it legal for this to be discounted and so much money wasted?

Dursley and the surrounding area date back to medieval times. It is surely time for the present generation to stand up and be counted in defence of its heritage and not allow it to disappear under a rubble of bricks.

I agree with the sentiments of the nameless person who wrote in the Gazette last week regarding fox-hunting but disagree with the figures. The extent of apathy is nearer 98 per cent than 92 per cent!

Dreena Menelaws, Byron Road, Dursley