Roy White, of Naseby Drive, Heathfield, writes:

Disagreeing with Bovey Tracey Town Council is not difficult, but on one thing it seems its hands are tied. The national requirements perceived by central government are sent down from Whitehall and local councils are dictated to as to how high they must jump. Central government officials, I am reliably told, have the final say. This is wrong.

Decisions as to the where and when and quantity of new housing should be down to the town or parish council. A merely advisory role, easily overruled, is a blatant denial of local democracy.

"Get the big picture," is the cry, "It's a national problem." Ok, let's get the big picture, the really BIG picture.

There is a whole world out there and it seems a large proportion of its population want to come and live in this country. This puts pressure on the cities, and the population there moves aside to make room for the incomers.

So central government decides to build over all the nicer parts of rural Britain, ruining life for everyone.

Instead of increasing the supply, the government should reduce the demand by putting meaningful controls on immigration including that from the EU. And if that means the UK has to leave the EU, that'll be a bonus.

We cannot house the world on this small island without destroying what is good about it; we cannot house this country in this beautiful area without despoiling it. This area should make great efforts to house local people who are in need and the local town and parish councils, the locally elected authorities should have the oversight of that necessary process, not Teignbridge, not County Hall, not Whitehall and certainly not Brussels.