I READ with interest the piece by your reporter Morwenna Blake on page 23 of the Wiltshire Times November 16 about the change in planning allocation of the Green Lane site still required by the County Education Authority for a secondary school.

We could end up with even more children in the east Trowbridge and Hilperton areas having to travel the other side of Trowbridge to school if the school site was used for houses.

Then there is the contentious application (presently deferred) from Redrow Homes (SW), being resisted by residents of Paxcroft Mead, for another 134 houses which could contain even more children needing a local school.

The planning department seems to be in complete disarray, but then the district auditor's 54-page report on probity in planning carried out in July 2001 is critical of West Wiltshire District Council planning. It is summed up with these words taken from page three of the report:

"We have serious concerns that west Wiltshire is exposed to risks of impropriety in planning matters. These stem from three key areas:

l Significant variation in officer practices between the three areas.

l Significant variation in practices of the three area committees;

l A reluctance by members to adopt a code of conduct on planning matters, and inadequate training.

All three issues require urgent attention."

Planning seems to be affected only by commercial pressures with little regard for the people who live in the areas. More houses if the developers will fund road building or subsidise affordable housing.

Hopefully more residents will resist and raise objections at the district plan public inquiry next March, otherwise we will get the sort of developments we are prepared to do nothing about.

PETER L COLLINS,

Paxcroft Mead Resident.