I read with some dismay your report on the 'brilliant wheeze' our planners have come up with to enable the developer to fulfil their conscience quota for the benefit to the community. A play area!

There are already three play areas in this part of Ledbury, four if you count the one at the end of Barnett Ave.

Each of these seems to be aimed at up to 12 years of age, maximum, and so far as I , 'an old codger', can see they are not greatly used.

I suspect that the mix of equipment is not sufficiently challenging to today's children. In fact, my local play area has just acquired a series of notices setting out all the things that cannot now take place in the play area.

It must be time to think outside the box on these community sops. Why not payment of a youth worker's salary for two years or money to help with the establishment of the new library?

C E M Ridler, Yeoman Close, Ledbury.