I must protest at the cost of the proposed referendum on whether building should take place on the Front Garden or not.

I would say, why not. All the areas to the north, West and East are having more than their share of development, just because a few so- called influential people have banded together and called themselves FRAG instead of NIMBY (which would be a far more appropriate title) should this be a good enough reason to spend £133,000 on a paper exercise, when care homes and community centres are being closed for lack of funding.

There has been a deliberate and orchestrated barrage of letters extolling the virtues of plant and wildlife on this piece of land.

I would remind these people that plant life and animal life is just as important and special, the views just as beautiful, in the other threatened areas.

If housing is really necessary on the scale suggested by

Government then all sectors of the town should take their share, the very fact that FRAG only puts their own little sector up as a no build area should tell us why it should be NIMBY not FRAG as their title.

The extent of suggested development to the East would stretch from Blunsdon to Wanborough, should it get the go ahead.

A far greater area than the over-publicised Front Garden. There has been references in some letters to the effect of the land being too close to the M4, and all manner of other reasons why the land should not be built on, yet it's perfectly all right for the new hospital to be built there.

E J BAILEY

Forum Close

Stratton St Margaret

Swindon