John Best, of Churchstow, Kingsbridge, writes:

Who is protecting our Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty?

The local planning committee has given approval for a potato processing plant to be built in Churchstow, close to the Bantham roundabout, in the middle of an AONB.

At present this processing plant is situated in Galmpton and there is a good case for moving it out of this village because of poor road access, but why has South Hams Council approved a new 42,000-square-foot industrial site on high ground in the ­middle of an AONB?

There is no particular advantage to this plant being in Churchstow and it could be built on any of the existing industrial sites in the area.

The planning committee only seems to have considered the possible visual impact of this industrial site in an AONB, but what about the noise pollution and light pollution from a plant running 24/7?

There is also the inevitable problem of large vehicles ­turning on and off a road that is very busy with holiday traffic often travelling quite fast past the proposed access to the new site.

Once this new site is ­established it will become a ‘brownfield site’ and in the future could be subject to a change of use and possible expansion, becoming an increasing blot on the South Hams landscape.

Churchstow is a small parish and so far has been fighting the district council alone, but it is still possible to raise a judicial review, although this will need greater outside support.

If you feel that the local ­planners need to be prevented from wasting our beautiful countryside, more information is available on the Churchstow community website at www.