REGARDING Market Lavington community hall (Gazette, January 20), it seems that Mr Furminger and the community hall trust will never quite understand that objections to housing on the site are not restricted to the surrounding houses.

I live in St Mary's Road and am a member of the opposition group (CARD). I can assure the trust once again that the majority of members do not live in the immediate area and will not be directly affected by any building on the site.

At its meeting last Monday the question was asked if the parish council supports housing on the site. The response was a "yes" by seven votes to five. Hardly a crushing victory and with voting so close, should it be conclusive and binding?

At a public meeting in March 2003, at one of Lavington School's halls, the same question was asked to the villagers with a conclusively overwhelming number voting against it. This point was swept aside when raised by a councillor.

CARD conducted a door-to-door survey in the village last year asking for residents to sign a petition against housing on the site. The canvassing was carried out using information from the trust. We also made it clear that without housing there would be no hall. This netted over 800 signatures (over half of the villagers over 18) every one of which involved a direct consultation. This was raised by the same parish councillor yet ignored by the meeting.

It seems clear that the majority of Market Lavington does not want housing on that site yet despite proof to support objection the scheme rumbles on.

I leave all concerned with this thought. Initially the trust would have to hold an open village meeting to debate building houses on the site, at which 75 per cent of those residents present would have to approve. Would they be quite as pleased with themselves if the decision to continue the housing scheme was based on the voting public's views rather than a parish council meeting at which village residents are not allowed to speak?

J KENT

Market Lavington