I WAS most angered by the comments last week about 'Coleford' s saviour'.

In 2005 I saw a very active and busy little town, with lots of free car parking which was very well used, even full at busy times, and a very good landscape (apart from the Co-op building).

Since I became involved in planning matters in 2007 I can only say that it has been constantly going downhill. The problems are: A) overdevelopment with no jobs to compensate; B) the effects of the global recession having a local effect, but most of all, C) a great deal of poor strategic planning, including the loss of Old Station Way car and coach park – this affected traders in Pyart Court shops through lost footfall and the introduction of car park charges – in a recession this was a gross error as well as being completely undemocratic.

Also, the prospect of another modern slab of a building for a Tesco Store in an otherwise lovely setting through planning officers not doing their job. And now we have another planning blunder of the total loss of Bank Street car park for another minor development which could have been done elsewhere or on this site better.

I comprehensively disagree with the poor reasoning and disjointed thinking. Saying that 45 new premises in Bank Street will be Coleford's saviour is complete rubbish. Apart from the serious loss of footfall for St John's Street traders, Coleford services a catchment of 10,000+ persons.

The loss of a small part of these through the loss of parking will easily overwhelm the gains.

Walt Williams

Coleford