I READ with interest Jacqui Smith's Letter from Westminster (Advertiser, November 12).

I agree, at this time of the year the autumn colours are magnificent and we do have things to be proud of in Redditch but at the same time we have tolerated overgrown hedgerows and speeding traffic on some of our roads.

Unfortunately, Jacqui must be unaware of a plan in the pipeline which goes completely against this.

I am talking about the development to the rear of Towbury Close where we have a green field site with more than 100 trees, of which the majority will be removed (bats permitting) in order to build 30 dwellings.

To do this, the developers plan to close the existing safe footpath and replace it with a path enclosed on both sides by 2.5 metre high fencing.

This re-routed path will cross Grangers Lane at a more dangerous point and then for most of its length be within a few metres of Rough Hill Drive. All this at a time when schoolchildren are being encouraged at Government level to make more use of designated safe and healthy routes to school.

It is no wonder local schools have objected to this particular plan.

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