I would like to respond to Josey Elkins letter (Wiltshire Times, September 20), regarding my company's plans to redevelop the Ushers site.

Unfortunately Josey is misinformed on all but one point Trowbridge, the county town, should be a place of which people can be proud.

Redeveloping the Ushers site will provide the kick-start to the rejuvenation process that is so badly needed, encouraging other development and investment in the town, providing a significant boost to the economy, bringing jobs, affordable homes and other benefits in the process.

The Ushers scheme will bring around 250 more people to live in the centre of town, increasing its vibrancy both day and night.

Together with the retail and leisure units proposed, this will help to bolster Trowbridge's range of facilities and strengthen its county town status.

Perhaps of most significance, it will provide large retail units, which are already attracting the likes of Matalan, T K Maxx, Brantano Footwear and Laura Ashley.

These retailers want a presence in Trowbridge but there are currently no units large enough for their requirements. This is why they are interested in our development and are not taking up the very small units in the Shires.

Currently more than £80m of local people's money is spent outside Trowbridge because shoppers can't find what they need in the town.

The Ushers shops would save some £3.4m of this and, as a direct result of the trade attracted by the new Ushers shops, an additional £1.1m would be spent in existing shops in Trowbridge.

What Josey should be worried about is that this opportunity could be lost. West Wilts will apparently stop at nothing to quash this application for reasons which, given the enormous benefits of the scheme, we just cannot fathom.

The county council has withdrawn its objection so West Wilts is desperately looking for other reasons to refuse the application. Why we do not know.

We have moved heaven and earth to satisfy its concerns yet it seems set on refusing us.

So we come back to the Vision. Our scheme does not threaten the Vision, but it will give it and the rejuvenation of Trowbridge a significant injection.

It appears that the final decision rests with the elected members of the central area committee, for they alone have the power to represent the views of the people who elected them and make a decision which will allow Trowbridge to begin re-establishing itself.

Paul Bench,

Development Director,

Foinavon,

Pangbourne,

Reading.