AS Mrs Haggett (Letters, March 5), I too am horrified regarding the possible plans to transform Southwick Country Park.

I too urge the council not to bow to pressure for football and other pitches to be built there. I do not see why a very large number of people who get an immense amount of daily enjoyment out of the country park should lose out just because Trowbridge Football Club squandered a good and accessible ground for their followers in the centre of the Trowbridge area.

The country park is a fantastic wildlife facility, well used from dawn to dusk and I would ask that it be left just as it is. There have been rumours circulating for quite a while now that dogs off leads will be banned from the 60 acres of the park to be redeveloped, and if you add to these 60 acres the amount needed for sports pitches, then the people who have been using the park regularly since it opened will be restricted to a very small area.

The final reason for objecting to these plans is that our council tax bills will be quite high enough

without money being spent unnecessarily on 'mending what is not broken'. The areas due to be developed have a charm all of their own already without areas such as the existing pond area being given a make-over.

Part of the attraction of Southwick Park is that it is the only facility of its kind in the area where walkers can enjoy its extensive wildlife and wild flowers in their natural unspoilt state.

Please West Wiltshire District Council, leave the park as it is for the sake of our daily enjoyment and our council tax bills.

PAT HAYES

Polebarn Road

Trowbridge

I AGREE with Mary Haggett that the Southwick Country Park should be, what the name implies, a piece of unspoilt countryside preserved for all citizens to enjoy.

It should therefore be protected from building projects, sports stadiums and other urbanisation.

At present it is a wonderful amenity for those who wish to have legal access to an expanse of meadows, bushes and trees.

Visitors to Trowbridge have expressed to me their envy and admiration saying how lucky the town is to have it.

When so much good work has been done by volunteers planting trees and creating a nature reserve on the edge of the town, why ruin it? I read on page 15 that Wiltshire County Council has formerly adopted management plans to protect areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) but areas like the country park also need protecting.

JR GOVETT

Chepston Place

Trowbridge

I had some sympathy with the lady who wrote in defence of maintaining the status quo at the Country Park until I visited the site today. I was amazed to see how large it is, some 152 acres according to the board at the entrance.

Even if the football club were allocated 10-12 acres of the flat land for development that would still leave 140 acres of very pleasant parkland for the walkers.

One last point, I thought responsible dogwalkers picked up their animal's excreta? This does not appear to be happening at the Country Park!

Bill Fisher

Trowbridge