This has probably more to do with one of the tangents the 'Dove Big Local' thread has, history, development & tourism etc....
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Protecting our history
SIR - Your suggestion for special protection for key historic towns and cities is an excellent one ("The battle lines are drawn over the historic heart of England", Features, March 9).
You say "the answer is proper planning, to make sure that development goes in the right democratically decided places". Here lies the rub. Historic cities, towns and villages will often not be the major centres of population in a local planning authority's area. Many people living outside the most valuable historic areas do not themselves want large amounts of new house-building, so their votes work to spread new housing widely, forcing historic settlements to share the load, regardless of heritage merit.
The National Planning Policy Framework's protection of setting, views and historic buildings is insufficient to counter such democratic pressures.
Helen Fleming
North Warnborough Green, Hampshire
SIR - The historic market town of Wimborne in Dorset is being threatened with 1,300 new houses on greenfield sites around the town, against the wishes of many of its residents.
This would increase the population of our town by over 40 per cent, meaning infrastructure would be unable to cope. Less than half of these houses would be affordable homes and only available to those who qualify under certain conditions.
Sheila Bourton
Wimborne, Dorset
SIR - Our elected planning councillors have voted against an unnecessary housing estate in our village. However, housing officials have exerted their prerogative to force a second vote after a month's "cooling off period" and seem prepared to ignore the mountains of evidence provided by residents as to why such a development would be disastrous, as well as an 85 per cent thumbs-down in a local referendum.
Elected representatives of the people at every level of government are struggling to uphold common sense and justice against the overpowering influence of complicated "rules" and "procedures".
Josephine Evans
Ampleforth, North Yorkshire"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/9931027/Pope-Franciss-election-is-good-news-for-Catholics-but-will-he-bring-change.html