What sad news it was to read that the High Court has decided to throw out the appeal by the Front Garden Action Group.

All the arguments put forward by Terry King were based on a detailed knowledge of the area and common sense.

Last winter, we saw pictures of the area flooded out and looking more like a huge lake than a green field.

Surely the flooding problem alone should be enough to make anyone realise that the Front Garden is totally unsuitable for housing?

Also there is the issue of the abundant wildlife that lives there, the increased traffic congestion which will follow, increased pollution and noise from the motorway.

The northern development is still not completed so how can the building on any more green areas be justified?

Swindon has already lost many lovely areas of countryside over the last 30 or so years.

How much more must we lose before everyone will agree that enough is enough? When even Lydiard Park itself is a housing estate and Swindon and Wootton Bassett become one?

When 3,800 homeowners living on the former Front Garden are claiming off the insurance for severe flood damage Terry King will be able to say to all who supported this project: " I told you so".

But it will be too late to have second thoughts.

The criticism FRAG has received in the letters page has been utterly ridiculous, we should be saving our green areas while we still have some to save.

Peter Bates

Belsay

Toothill

Swindon