Sir - I read with a sense of "deja vu" your report on the proposed development at Battenhall, Worcester. I see this is for a mere 200 new homes.

The photo shows a panorama very similar to many that can be seen from Yew Tree Hill in Droitwich. However, this is soon to be desecrated by the construction of 740 (yes that is not a typing error) new homes together with ""improvements" to Pulley Lane and Newland Road.

This is to be preceded by the construction of at least another 700 homes on the opposite side of the A38 which will devour the ancient hamlet of Salwarpe. Work on the latter site has recently started and already led to significant traffic jams on the Droitwich by-pass.

The Yew Tree Hill scheme was opposed by both the Town and Wychavon District Councils due to public pressure. However, these objections were overturned after a lengthy and very expensive Inquiry by a stroke of Mr. Pickles' pen. SOGOS, our local pressure group, is still raising funds to pay for legal representation and the County Council is only now trying to get to grips with the implications for the local road and transport network.

To sum up : local democracy in relation to planning issues is dead. It has been sacrificed in the interests of job creation and the general economy.

Michael Johns,

Droitwich