We are deeply disappointed with Kingsbridge Town Council’s decision to approve the Belle Hill development. Realistically it does not directly affect any of them and when cash-strapped councils have a large carrot dangled in front of them it is difficult to resist.

We were dismayed to hear that the developers did a traffic survey in August, a time when many locals are on  holiday and the school is closed – so hardly a true representation of traffic flow through Church Street.

The fact that it is the developers who are to do the noise and pollution survey is therefore a worry; are they to do it in the early hours at a time of minimum traffic? It is interesting that the Director of Westcountry Land recognises there is an existing problem in Church Street so adding to it says it all. Profit before people.

One of the KTC recommendations was for a lollipop man or woman to man the crossing at school time. This may prevent a fatality but will not protect the lungs of young people, especially those in pushchairs who are closer to vehicle exhausts; this invisible damage will probably not manifest for years.

I attended the AONB meeting recently and, from the viewpoint of the many small villages represented, the area is continually being encroached on and without foresight there will be only small pockets of natural beauty left. This will have an adverse effect on tourism on which the area depends. Thinking of the future of our children and grandchildren, what if there comes a time when this country needs to provide more of it own food and the green fields are all housing estates? There are spaces that can be filled in with houses before creating new estates; this could provide work for locals rather than fill the purses of outsiders. 

I know there is a guarantee from the developers on affordable housing but are they aware of the average wage in this part of the world and a price above £200,000 is not affordable for many? It also needs to be borne in mind that in the past developers have found that escalating costs during build have meant they have had to decrease the number of affordable houses available in order to build expensive houses to finance them. I have also heard of a recent development where the developer went bust, which moves the goal posts.

It would be wonderful to believe that there are people in authority who think beyond their term of office.

Rosemary Dunstan, Church Street, Kingsbridge