Unfortunately I was not aware of the recent meeting concerning a proposed development by Allaston Developments Ltd.

I have since read their website and am appalled at what is proposed. Living at the top of Allastone Road it will not affect me as directly as those lower down, but still I do not relish the prospect.

To start with the concentration of houses will be pretty horrific – 250 + 20 self-build + 35 retirement on a site of this size is too many.

Incidentally the retired occupants, when they get older, will find it very difficult to manage the steep hill.

Access will be from Windsor Drive, Oak Meadow or Court Road. These roads are not capable of carrying the traffic which will be generated by so many houses. Yet another piece of agricultural land will be lost and the urban spread goes on. Such a high density development can only depreciate the value of the existing houses along Allastone Road.

The school will be hard pressed to cater for the number of extra pupils likely to arrive. Where are the jobs for the new occupants – or will they just add to the daily migration am long the A48 to Gloucester or Bristol.

They talk about drainage. I remember all the problems when the Springmeadow area was developed and houses had mini rivers running through them – people opened the front door to let the water flow out which was coming in at the back.

The next obvious stage will be building g up to and along Driffield Road - another minor road which already carries far more traffic than it was ever intended for. I know we need more houses but there are more sensitive ways of providing them and better places but probably not so profitable for the developers.

They talk about 'meeting local needs' and 'affordable and suitable for local people'. I am afraid I have got rather cynical in my old age and always have doubts when I am told something is being done for altruistic reasons.

I suspect the main reason is to make a cracking good profit for the developers and anything else is just a lucky by-product.

B. C. Baker

Allastone Road