I AM very upset and appalled at the thought of all the work being planned around Coate Water for a number of reasons.

1. I had a tree planted in a special designated area at Coate Water in memory of my late husband and his ashes are buried near the tree. I chose the site because we used to take our old dog for walks at Coate Water and it brings back happy memories.

The Coate Water Park is somewhere most of us visit from time to time to see the swans, geese, ducks, squirrels etc, and I have read otters and badgers have been seen in the area.

We used to pay a few pence to get into it at one time to help pay for its upkeep and maintenance. Most of us would not mind doing the same again if it will ensure the safety of this beautiful part of Swindon.

2. If the proposals to build a university and campus go ahead it will mean all around the Great Western Hospital will be a building site and all the noise that entails.

3. With firms closing down as they are, people will be moving out of the area, not into it. Therefore who will buy the 1,400 houses being planned?

4. I am not against modernisation but I am against turning Swindon into a concrete jungle. We are having to go farther and farther away to be in the countryside. Our children will grow up not knowing what a field looks like soon.

I am fast coming to the conclusion that Swindon council is doing everything in its power to become a city no matter what the cost to the local population.

(Mrs) M KING

Swindon